Luck and Destiny
by A Christy
Summary: NOC Complete! Nick meets someone at a crime scene and things become... interesting! (Vague, I know!)
1. Default Chapter

I'm new to this whole fanfic thing, so please be patient if I screw up! I don't own any of the CSI characters, although I'd love to. Please note that my knowledge of police policies and procedures is limited, so I'm sorry in advance if some of the more _business_ aspects of this story seem a little far fetched... I'm really all about the romance.

Reviews are welcome, and feel free to criticize, offer suggestions etc., I'm open to everything.

* * *

As Alex looked into the mirror regarding her frothy, toothpastey mouth, she smiled and thought to herself, _thank God this semester is over_; _I'm freakin' beat_.

It had been a good semester though, and as tough as all her school assignments had been, the hard work appeared to be paying off, mark- wise. She had big plans for sleeping in tomorrow morning, a bit of lounging around tomorrow afternoon, followed by a night out with her friends tomorrow night. They all deserved a good night out on the town.

As a mature student, she hadn't been sure she'd fit in with all the younger students trying to get their teacher's degrees, but so far she'd fit in just fine. Plus, there were plenty of other mature students, and many of them were older than her 30 years. Overall, her last 4 months of teacher's college in Las Vegas had been a blast, and she'd made a shocking amount of friends.

A noise from downstairs broke Alex from her reverie. Stopping mid-brush, she listened carefully for anything out of the ordinary. A moment later, a _thud_ sounded below her, from the region of the kitchen. The panic in her eyes as she gazed into the mirror reflected the sudden anxious pounding of her own heartbeat, and for a moment she could hear nothing else. Finally, she spit out the remainder of her toothpaste, wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and eased herself out of her ensuite bathroom, turning off the light as she did so. Her bedroom light already off, she tiptoed across her bedroom to her door, and carefully and quietly opened it a sliver to see if she could hear more. Another _thud_ sounded, but this time it was closer, sounding like it came from the living room... which was inconveniently located at the bottom of the stairs she was now fearfully trying to see down. With the house in darkness, she may as well have been trying to see through a blindfold. The muffled sounds downstairs continued.

Closing her door as quietly as she'd opened it, she looked around her shadowed room in panic, wondering where the hell she was going to hide, while panicky images of rape and murder raced through her mind. Someone's voice seemed to climb out of the recesses of her brain, one emerging from a thousand conversations with a hundred different people over the years: "Burglars work during the daytime, when no one is at home. If someone breaks into your house at night, he's only got one thing on his mind..." Stifling her own panicked gasp, and trying to clear her mind of all useless information, Alex tried to concentrate on the task at hand: _How can I save my own life_? _Where can I hide_?

She looked around again and again, and slowly recalled the landlord's monotonous spiel as he tried to encourage her to rent this condo. The owner's son had lived here a few years back, and he was a computer type with a lot of expensive equipment. His father had built a large safe in the closet to occasionally store the extra stuff ... but would it be big enough to fit her? And was the thing even unlocked? She'd never bothered to check it out.

She silently made her way across the room and eased the closet door open, at first unable to see the safe door in the darkness. As her eyes adjusted, she could just barely make out the corner of the door behind her laundry hamper... and it was open a crack! She gently pulled her hamper back and eased the door open, trying in vain to see how much room there was inside. Realising time was short, she decided she'd just have to try and wedge herself in there, no matter how small it was.

Feet first, she slid her legs toward the back of the safe, her pyjama bottoms sliding up in the process. She hoped against all odds that she wouldn't hit the back wall after only a foot or so... thankfully, it seemed to stretch back a bit. The space was low though, as though she was climbing into a long metal rectangle, like an air duct or something. As her legs hit the back, she realised it was still a bit short for her frame, but she'd have to make do with it. She folded up her knees a bit, and as a last measure, she tried to pull the hamper back towards the door with her before she closed it. She managed to give her arm a nice scrape along the door latch as she pulled it back into the safe. Grimacing in pain, she felt the blood already dripping on her bare arm, and managed to pull the hamper a little closer to the safe door, hopefully hiding it from whoever was in her house,should they look in her closet.

Her breathing sounded loud to her own ears, and though she knew it was probably just the echo off the metal walls in such a small space, she tried her damnedest to calm herself, and to get through this. The air felt constricted enough on its own in there, so she tried to take small shallow breaths to compensate.

As she finally felt her breathing patterns regulating, a sudden slamming outside made her heart leap to her throat. The intruder had thrown open her bedroom door and was now apparently throwing things around her room. A sudden throaty bellow assailed her ears ... a man... his rage seemed palpable even from her hiding place, as he yelled and threw things against her walls, the sounds of crashing and breaking glass enhancing the fear coursing through her veins.

After what seemed like an eternity, it stopped. She knew he hadn't left the room, but he seemed to be at rest for a moment, and this terrified her even more. Thoughts she tried to suppress sprang unbidden to her mind: _What the hell is he doing_? _Does he know I'm here_?

After what seemed like a lifetime of quiet, she suddenly heard him thump to the floor, and the banging began anew, this time much closer to the closet. She had been unable to fully close the closet door from her position, and now she saw a sliver of light shining through to the unsealed safe door. Her heart beat so loudly she couldn't hear anything else for a moment.

As the final panic set in, she felt a sudden pain in her head, and then all was darkness.

* * *

Nick Stokes and Catherine Willows followed the officer to the front door, listening to his report along the way. "Around 11:30pm, the neighbours reported hearing loud smashing noises and someone yelling from the upstairs area of the condo. They said it seemed to continue for at least 15 minutes, then stopped for a while, so they thought it was over. But then it started up again and kept going for a good 15 _more_ minutes, and this time it was from everywhere in the condo... upstairs, downstairs... They called the police before it had even finished. We checked it out, but nobody's here now. No sign of the tenant- an Alex Winters. Somebody did a number on the place though." The officer held the door for them as he gestured inside to the living room. "It's a mess, man. Everything's trashed."

"You guys touch anything in here? Walk anywhere without hugging the walls?" Catherine asked.

"Man, you guys know we aren't a bunch of rookies. You always gotta ask that?"

Nick responded with his usual reply. "Since you're _not_ a bunch of rookies, you should know that we _have_ to ask that every time, man. Get over it."

The officer smirked and shook his head, moving out of the way so they could work the scene.

Surveying the damage, Catherine sighed. "Hmmmm. Someone has a bad temper. This tenant is not getting their damage deposit back." Catherine shined her flashlight towards the back of the room. "Kitchen looks to be back there. I think I'll make my way through this floor towards the back. You want to grab the upstairs?"

Nick nodded. "I'm on it."

He stayed close to the wall as he made his way up the stairs, avoiding touching the banister, and shining his light back and forth as he went, hoping for a clue to jump out at him. As he reached the top of the stairs, a single door was ajar, and he gently pushed it open with his gloved hand. The bedroom. It was even worse in here than downstairs.

Nick's brain started its usual on-the-job inner-monologue: _What the hell happened here_? _Why would someone want to do this_?

He shook his head as he envisaged the rage of the person who had smashed the crap out of just about everything in the room. Pieces of mirror reflected from the carpet, and numerous other chunks of glass, intermingled with clothes, papers, broken bits of lamp, and so on. Nick couldn't imagine ever losing it to this extent. He'd seen a lot of sick people out there, and the things they did to others sickened him, but even then he couldn't imagine himself ever snapping like this.

He continued to survey the damage, hoping that something unusual would stand out to give him some sort of clue as to what went down here. He crossed to the bed and noticed a series of stains crossing the bedspread and pillows. It looked fresh, and it looked all too familiar.

He turned towards the door, planning to head downstairs for the ALS to see what else he could turn up, and probably some luminol just in case, when a sparkle from the closet caught his flashlight beam. Moving in that direction, Nick took a closer look inside, and spotted a door latch almost hidden by a clothes hamper, which was pressed tightly against it. He also spotted a substance on the latch, and it looked all too familiar as well.

_Looks like I don't need the luminol for this one_, he thought, as he carefully moved the hamper back. It was wedged tightly between the side wall and the door on the back wall, but with a little manoeuvring, it came free... and suddenly the small door on the back of the closet popped open... and with it a brunette head and one hand protruded from inside.

Nick stepped back in shock, but quickly recovered and shouted out "Catherine!" as he knelt beside the opening and felt for a pulse... The face became visible at the same time Nick realized she had no pulse. She was still very warm though, and Nick pulled her free and prepared to give her CPR. He was just beginning to blow into her airway as Catherine reached the doorway.

"Oh my God..." She turned on the ceiling light, switched open her cell phone and dialled the emergency line. "This is Catherine Willows. Get an ambulance to our location ASAP. We've found an injured woman on the scene and we need the paramedics right away. She's unconscious and Nick Stokes is administering CPR right now." She listened to the response and ended the call.

Nick continued CPR for about a minute, and was quickly beginning to lose hope when suddenly the woman below him inhaled a huge breath, and then began to cough, her eyes watering. He hastily moved his hands under her shoulders and tried to support her as she began to lean forward, as if to sit up.

As she slowly became more aware of her situation, Alex tried to clear the mist from her eyes, and looked up at the face staring down at her. At first all she could see was a blur surrounded by fuzzy light, and cliché images of guardian angels sprung to mind. Slowly, the face became a little clearer, and she stared into a pair of warm, concerned brown eyes. Then he spoke. "Miss? My name is Nick Stokes and I'm with the Las Vegas Crime Lab. Can you hear me? Are you alright?" He continued to stare down at her, the concern still evident in his eyes.

"Ye..." She coughed again, and her throat felt parched. She tried again. "Yeah, I'm OK, I think. ... Am I OK? What's going on?" She slowly pushed herself to a sitting position and looked around herself in confusion, now noticing the disaster that used to be her bedroom. What the...? She looked back at the Crime Lab guy, and also noticed a woman behind him. Nick noticed anxiety creeping into her features and tried to pre-empt it.

"This is Catherine Willows. She's also from the Crime Lab. Miss, what's your name?"

Alex tried to focus, but everything felt crazy, like she might be losing it. "Miss?" The kind-eyed man prompted her.

"Sorry... what was your name again? _Nick_?"

"Yeah, Nick. Nick Stokes."

"Um.... My place... I don't know... Jesus." She felt helpless and she hated herself for it, even though she knew she couldn't help it. She could feel the tears welling, but she tried to fight them back. What had he asked her? Oh yeah, my name... "Alex. Alex Winters."

Catherine jumped in. "Is that short for Alexandria?"

"Um, no. Just Alex. My parents had it before I was born, and figured they were safe whether I was a boy or a girl."

Catherine smiled. "I always liked the name Alex... either for a boy or a girl." She grinned. "I named my daughter Lindsay, but it was a toss up with Alex."

Alex smiled back. "That's funny- my parents actually tossed around the idea of calling me Lindsay after I was actually born, but they decided to stick with Alex."

Feeling much calmer than she had just a minute before, Alex smiled. She realized what they'd been doing, trying to distract her from the craziness of the situation, and keep her calm. She felt gratitude swell within herself, and a tear rolled down her cheek as she smiled up at the two strangers in front of her.

Feeling strangely more confident, she tried to stand up, but felt the blackness creep back, and she started to lose her balance. Nick was there suddenly, holding her up and steadying her in his arms.

"Easy now... you've just gotten your breath back. You better take it slow. I'm going to take you outside for some fresh air, OK?" Again, that look of gentle concern. And he had a kind voice as well, with some kind of accent...southern? Whatever it was, it soothed her and Alex didn't feel any urge to resist as he guided her towards the stairs.

He eased her downstairs and out to the front yard, never removing his supporting arm from around her shoulders. The officer at the door followed them. When they reached the Denali, Nick eased her onto the back seat, legs dangling out the side. She shivered a bit, and Nick removed his jacket and placed it over her shoulders, his body heat still warming it. When she looked comfortable, he carefully questioned her. "Miss Winters, can you tell me what happened?"

Alex looked at the earnest expression on his face and for some reason felt perfectly safe. She recounted everything she could remember, and noticed that Nick grinned a little to himself when she mentioned the toothpaste. As the police officer copied everything down, the ambulance made its noisy appearance next to the Denali, and two paramedics climbed out and headed over to them.

Nick pointed to Alex. "This is Alex Winters. She was trapped in a closed wall safe of some kind when I found her. She's got a nice cut on her arm, and I think this contusion on her forehead is from the door being slammed into her when it was knocked shut. I also think she ran out of oxygen because when I found her she wasn't breathing."

At this statement, Alex raised her head and stared at Nick, her eyes wide with shock at this revelation.

Nick looked back at her carefully and continued. "I gave her CPR and she came back around after about a minute."

Alex couldn't take her eyes off Nick, and a million thoughts ran through her brain. _Who the hell was in my home_? _What happened to me_? _Was I dead_?

As she stared into his eyes, the realization overtook her: _I think this man saved my life tonight_...

A shiver ran down her spine at the thought.


	2. Chapter 2

Alex continued to contemplate her brush with death as another car appeared on the scene. A stalky man in a suit and a tallish, lean brunette woman climbed out of the car. Not seeing Alex in the ambulance behind Nick, Detective Brass called out to him as the two approached. "Hey Nicky. I hear you found a live one?"

Nick inwardly cringed as he turned back around to face Alex, an embarrassed look on his face. Alex couldn't help but smile. As Brass got closer, he realized his mistake and the sheepish look migrated from Nick to him. Alex just grinned at him and gave a slight wave. "Yeah, that'd be me. I'm the live one. I _think_."

Brass tried to grin, but he ended up looking more embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Miss. When the CSI's turn up there usually isn't anyone left standing at the scene, so this is a bit of an unusual situation. Sometimes a little levity helps us get through this stuff..."

She interrupted his babbling and tried to cut short his embarrassment. "No need to apologize, really. I understand. It's fine." She smiled her amusement. Brass smiled back at her and introduced himself. Sara Sidle did the same, shaking her hand.

"She's given us her statement here, Jim." Nick indicated the officer with notepad standing beside him. "I'm assuming you're here to take over?"

"Yeah, I'm sure you guys need to finish working the scene."

Sara jumped in. "It was quiet back on the home front, so I thought I'd come help out. Catherine said the place was a mess."

Nick nodded and replied, "Yeah, someone went berserk in there. An extra hand would be greatly appreciated." He turned a questioning look to Alex. "You OK? You're in good hands with Detective Brass, but I don't mind staying if you like?"

Sara raised an eyebrow, but Nick ignored her. His concern touched Alex again, and she recognized that she felt drawn to him. She also knew that it was perfectly normal to feel attracted to the person who'd rescued you- she'd minored in psychology at university, and had also seen _more_ than enough movies to recognise that theory in practice.

It didn't hurt that Nick was incredibly handsome on top of that, though. Still, now was hardly the time for crushes. He had a job to do here, and she was grateful that these people were here to help her.

"I'll be fine. Thanks for... _everything_."

It felt inadequate, but she didn't know what else to say. She smiled shyly, not knowing how vulnerable it made her look. Nick felt a moment of concern at how exposed she appeared, but her words seemed to offset that. "Oh- I still have your jacket..." She started to remove it, but Nick stopped her.

"No, that's cool. Hold on to it. I'm sure it's nice and warm for you by now. I'll get it from you later." He suddenly felt he'd embarrassed himself somehow with the implications of '_later_', and stumbled to compensate. "Back at the station, I mean. I'll get it from you at the station."

"Oh. OK. Great. Thanks for that. It is nice and warm actually." She felt silly, like a shy teenage girl talking to the high school hero. She almost giggled from the sudden surge of embarrassment, but managed to hold it at bay. "Well, thanks again. I'll see you later."

"No problem. See you later." And with that, he looked at Sara's smirk and walked past her towards the entrance to the condo. Sara quickly caught up to him and her long strides matched his pace. Nick launched a pre-emptive strike, her grin having put him on the instant defensive.

"Don't start with me Sara."

"What? What'd I say? I'm just here to help." She raised her hands defensively as she spoke.

"Good. Let's get to work. You can help Catherine downstairs."

Sara continued to grin at him. As they reached the door, she stopped and saluted him as she said, "You got it, boss."

He looked back at her and couldn't help but grin. "Man, you can be such a goof."

She laughed with him. "It's a skill. It took many years of training, but I think I've got it down. Working with you clowns doesn't hurt."

Nick laughed again. He feigned a hurt expression and grabbed at his heart as he replied, "_Ooooouch_. You know I'm all business, Sidle."

She finally got her shot off as she called out to his retreating back, "She is very pretty though. And she seems nice...she was cool even, after Brass' foot-in mouth comment..."

She had the gratification of seeing Nick pause briefly on the stairs. He refused to give her the satisfaction though and he continued upwards, shaking his head but not bothering to turn around.

Sara laughed to herself as Catherine approached. Having heard the whole exchange, she commented, "Sara Sidle, I believe you may have made a grown man blush!"

They laughed together and then got down to business.

* * *

Detective Brass went over Alex's story in the officer's notepad, and then turned to the paramedics. "You guys think she needs to go to the hospital, or can you give her the OK now?"

"She should probably get checked out for that bang on her head. She may have a concussion."

"Right. I'll follow you guys to the hospital."

Alex groaned inwardly. Great. The hospital. It was a waste of time. Alex had actually had concussions a few times before and knew how it would play out.

"Listen you guys. I think I'm fine. Really. I've had concussions before and I know the routine- get woken up every 3 hours and so on. I don't think I need to waste some poor ER doctor's time. I doubt I'll get much sleep tonight anyway. Seriously."

It suddenly occurred to her that she didn't know where she was going to sleep, anyway. She sure as hell didn't want to go back into her room tonight...

The paramedics regarded her intently for all of 10 seconds and then acquiesced. They knew she'd only suffered a small bang on the head, and probably only had a partial concussion at worst. She didn't appear to be suffering any lingering affects from the oxygen deprivation either and they were certain she hadn't been out long before that CSI had quickly revived her. Alex knew this too, and felt another surge of gratitude for the handsome criminalist. She felt a tingling in the region of her stomach as well, but chose to ignore it.

_He was just doing his job_. _Move on_.

"Well, how about I take you down to the station for a warm cup of coffee and some conversation?" Brass pointed towards his sedan inquiringly, and Alex smiled and nodded at him.

"Oh. Any chance I can grab some shoes out of the front closet?" She looked down at her now dirty bare feet.

Brass grinned at her and said "Hold on," as he trotted up the lawn to the front door. He disappeared for a moment and then reappeared holding a pair of running shoes.

"Will these do the job?"

She nodded and gratefully slipped them on her feet. He held the passenger door for her and she slipped inside. The car eased away from the curb and headed towards the Las Vegas PD offices.

* * *

"Sar. Come check this out." Nick called down to the stairs to where Sara worked in the living room. She made her way upstairs to find Nick examining the stains on the bed.

"That what I think it is?" She wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"Yep, I'm pretty sure. I'm thinking the guy probably stood at the end of the bed, or even stood on top near the end here and did his magic."

His face wore a similar expression of disgust. Most days this stuff didn't bother him. He'd seen it hundreds of times. But every now and then the revulsion resurfaced. People could be sick sometimes, and this job usually subjected the CSI's to the worst elements of human nature. _Ah well_, _all part of the job_.

"_Humph_. Most _magic_ I've seen doesn't end in man goo all over someone's bedspread. This guy has issues."

Nick nodded. "Can't argue with that theory. You guys find anything useful downstairs?"

"Well, Catherine found how the perp got in- he smashed out a pane of glass from the back door off the kitchen and let himself in. There are lots of prints, but chances are they belong to Alex Winters if he was wearing gloves. Still, we've got some lifts and we'll compare them with hers back at the lab. Nothing much else in the kitchen though. The living room's a war zone, and again, just some more prints to compare. Other than that, all I have evidence of is someone's rage. You find anything else up here?"

Nick gestured towards the closet. "Well, there's blood on the safe latch, but I'm pretty sure that belongs to Alex Winters as well. She's got a cut on her arm- probably did it crawling in. Otherwise, all I have is the sample from the bed. I looked for hair fibres, but it's pretty tricky in this mess. She never saw the guy, and without any struggle, I doubt he lost any hair in here. Still, I'm going to give it a thorough once over later as I sift though the mess."

Catherine appeared at the door. "Anything?"

Nick went over his finds, and they decided to try and break it down.

Catherine began. "So the guy smashes in the back window and lets himself in the kitchen door, then makes his way in to the living room..."

"Miss Winters stated that she was in the bathroom off her bedroom when she heard the noises moving towards her room..." Nick added.

They went through the details and decided the guy had probably been heading upstairs to find her, and having found the room empty, started to take the place apart in anger. Since he'd seemed to stop for a few moments during his vandalism, he must have either been aroused, or else he stopped to arouse himself and then did his business on the bed. This was followed by more rage and violence, and since there's no way Alex could have wedged the safe door shut from outside, he must have thrown something, probably a lamp base that Nick had found inside the closet, and knocked the hamper further back in which in turn slammed the safe door closed, knocking Alex out and shutting off her air supply.

_Damn_, Nick thought. _If the intruder had bothered to look more closely in the closet_,_ he probably would have seen the safe door_...

In a twisted sort of way, Alex was actually lucky she'd been trapped, but even so... His mind flashed back to her lifeless form stretched out on the bedroom floor where he'd first placed her and he felt a pang of dread in his stomach.

_That had been way too close_.

He wasn't sure why this one was getting to him, but it was. Or rather, _she_ was. He felt silly. He'd talked to her for all of 10 minutes in total, so how could he feel anything yet? Maybe it was the whole _rescuer/rescuee_ scenario. It wasn't uncommon to develop fast attachments in situations like this.

Still, he couldn't deny that he felt drawn to her either way, and even now, while she was probably miles away at the station, he still felt the pull. Catherine interrupted his thoughts.

"Nick, why don't you take the samples back to the lab and see what we've got here. Sara and I can keep processing."

Nick nodded, and avoided a certain gap-toothed grin as he made his way out the door. He thought he heard Sara quietly murmur something to Catherine like, " ... thought he'd be smoother with the ladies somehow...", but he hurried outside to avoid the rest.

The thing was, usually he _was _smoother with women, even though he'd been on a break from dating for some time now. This just felt different somehow.

He was relieved to be heading off to the lab on his own, since he was certain that his eagerness to see Alex again must be showing in his face, and he just wasn't up to teasing or inquisition at the moment. He was as confused by this sudden attraction as anyone.


	3. Chapter 3

_**A.N:**_ Thanks for the nice comments, guys. I really appreciate it! I was a bit worried about all the detail I've added, but I've decided to approach this as a novel, and not just a short story. I hope I can keep it going at a good pace. Let me know if it feels like it's dragging. We'll see how it goes!

* * *

Alex sat in a dimly lit interrogation room at the LVPD. Detective Brass went out of his way to dispel any trepidation she might be feeling, sitting in such an unfriendly atmosphere. Alex thought he might still be feeling guilty about his insensitive remarks earlier, so she tried to swallow her inner turmoil and look more at ease, for his sake. He was currently returning, chatting with someone as he walked down the hallway towards the room where Alex waited. She could just barely hear snippets of the conversation as they approached.

"...But I'm a CSI now, so why do they keep pawning me off on other departments?"

"It's all part of the training, Greg. You know the drill. The Interrogation room is an integral part of the work around here, and you need to be more familiar with it." This last statement came as they entered the room at last.

Greg looked at the woman seated and quickly decided he was definitely interested in joining Brass in this conversation. She was brunette, looked to be mid-to-late 20's, and was definitely easy on the eyes. She wasn't a super model by any means, but something about her caught your eye and held it. She looked... what? Intelligent?

_Whatever it was_, Greg thought to himself, _she has appeal in spades_, _and I'm digging it_.

"Miss Winters, this is Greg Sanders, another CSI in the department. I hope you don't mind if he observes our interview."

"No, of course not, Detective. And please call me Alex." She nodded to Greg, "Both of you, of course."

Greg smiled at her slightly. He didn't want to overdo it, and he thought it made him look more mysterious. He wanted to look... _intriguing_.

Brass began to go over the events of the night again, asking if Alex had remembered anything new that might help. Ultimately, she just went over the same facts that she remembered before, and nothing new came to mind. He moved on, trying not to be too harsh as he asked her about her personal life, boyfriends, or the possibility of people who might want to do her harm.

"So, you don't have a boyfriend right now?" In any other circumstances, Alex might have been suspicious of such a question.

"No. And no angry ex-boyfriends kicking around here either. I haven't dated anyone since I came to Vegas."

Greg seemed to perk up at this disclosure. He had a question of his own. "What about people who asked you out, but you rejected them?"

Brass looked at him out of the corner of his eye and smirked. _Not a bad question_. _Maybe the hazards of Greg's love life could help him out in the job more often_.

Alex thought about it, but couldn't think of anyone specifically. She'd been asked out a few times, but mostly by strangers in pubs or bars, and there was no way she could remember faces, let alone names.

"Sorry. I just can't imagine who would do this."

A feeling of loneliness seemed to come out of nowhere. It was almost sad that she really had nobody in her life right now. She almost laughed at the thought, coming to her now of all times. Somebody had tried to come into her life tonight, alright. _Somebody scary_.

She thought maybe she was going to start becoming hysterical... she didn't know. Nothing even remotely like this had ever happened to her before, and she didn't know how she should be feeling. _Surely laughter is a sign of hysterics_?

Brass must have detected her discomfort, and tried to reassure her. "I won't keep you too much longer tonight. You must be exhausted."

He asked her a few more questions about strangers lurking near her at any time, or unusual incidents. The whole thing was beginning to oppress her, the more she was forced to think about it.

Just as she was beginning to feel the dread of what had befallen her creep back in, a familiar face appeared at one of the room's windows. _Nick_.

He gave her a small smile and moved towards the door. She felt a sense of relief wash over her, and then confusion... _Why does he make me feel at ease_?

Again, she attributed it to the fact that he'd rescued her. In a weird way, she almost felt ashamed of herself. Normally independent to a fault, she abruptly felt that she'd lost control of the situation, and that everything that happened tonight had been her fault. Even her life had been in somebody else's hands. Now she knew she was losing it. These were not rational thoughts.

"Alex, are you OK?" Detective Brass asked.

She felt ashamed again, realizing her inner thoughts had obviously been playing across her face.

Nick moved in closer, looking down at her with apprehension."Are you going to be alright? You've had a rough night, and you've had your game face on so far, from what I can see. Nobody will think badly of you if you need a minute to yourself. Say the word and we'll give you some time alone."

Alex felt that warm spot in her stomach again as she looked up into his dark brown eyes.

_I'm really losing it for sure now_, she thought to herself. _All I want is for him to hold me_. _I'm so pathetic_.

She couldn't stop herself from laughing out loud this time, surprising the three men. She took a deep, calming breath and tried to explain.

"I'm sorry... it's just that, I have all these crazy thoughts running around in my head that seem to come from nowhere, and have nothing to do with what's going on, and I can't seem to feel anything about what happened tonight. I feel numb... is this hysteria? Am I hysterical?" She looked around at the men surrounding her.

Greg was the first to respond. "Well, all I know is, if you're hysterical, it's the nice quiet, relaxed kind of hysteria. We like that kind here."

She looked at him in surprise, and then burst out laughing. Greg smiled back at her in return, and Brass had to give it to him- that had been good timing. Alex had clearly needed to release some tension, and laughter was definitely the best way, under the circumstances. She continued to giggle, until the absurdity of it all finally passed. She looked at Greg with a sort of respect.

"Thanks. I think I needed that."

Nick looked over at Greg and it seemed as if his chest was swelling; he had such a look of pride on his face. He then looked back at Alex and, noticing her smile, he began to feel uncomfortable. _Keep it together_, _Stokes_, he thought to himself. _Greg just did a good thing_. _She needed that_.

Taking an inward breath, he smiled at Alex and explained that they'd need to get her fingerprints to compare to the ones in her apartment, looking for a set that didn't belong there. He hoped deep down that the bastard who broke into her place had neglected to wear gloves, but he wasn't too hopeful. As violent as the actions had been, they didn't translate to carelessness overall. Just _rage_.

She agreed to be printed without hesitation, and he looked at Greg. "Sanders, can you go grab a fingerprint kit and bring it back here?"

Greg perked up and headed off down the hallway toward the CSI labs. Nick felt a sense of shame as he realized he'd sent Greg for the kit specifically to get him out of the room with Alex. The shame was compounded by the fact that Greg seemed only too happy to comply. He really was excited to be a CSI. Nick felt like a schmuck, but decided to let it go. No harm done, after all.

Turning back to Brass and Alex, he asked, "Did we come up with anything new?"

Alex looked a bit forlorn and Brass shook his head in the negative. Damn. He'd hoped something in Alex's world had been the key, but apparently not. Well, now it was up to the evidence. He hoped the samples he'd dropped at the lab turned up something they could use.

Just then, a couple of men poked their heads into the open interrogation room door.

"How are we doing in here? Any luck?"

Gil Grissom looked from Brass to Nick and back again. He'd been apprised of the situation by Catherine by cell phone, and thought he'd make an appearance before he and Warrick headed out to another scene.

Nick responded. "Nothing yet. But all the evidence isn't in yet, so we'll see what shows up after we have the whole picture."

"Good enough. Good luck gentlemen. And ladies." He nodded toward Alex.

"Grissom, this is Alex Winters. Miss Winters, this ..." Nick started to introduce her but was interrupted.

"_Alex_. Just Alex." She smiled at Nick again.

Nick smiled back. "Just Alex. This is Gil Grissom, and Warrick Brown. My boss and fellow CSI respectively."

Warrick nodded and Grissom spoke up. "Nice to meet you. Don't worry. These guys are the real deal. They'll sort this out for you."

And with that, Grissom and Warrick made their exit, Warrick looking back at Nick and smiling. Nick shook his head at him and laughed quietly. _Man_, _am I that obvious_? _He was beginning to feel uncomfortable_ _again_.

Brass spoke up, sounding a bit surprised. "Well, Grissom was pretty chipper tonight."

Nick laughed. "Hell, he was downright optimistic! There must be bugs at his crime scene."

Alex looked up in question, not getting the joke.

"He's an entomologist," Nick explained.

"Ahhh." Comprehension dawned on her, and as Greg returned, she admitted, "I just really don't like bugs."

"The comments of a sane woman." Nick encouraged.

"Yeah, birds are where it's really at, huh Nick?" Greg teased, getting a snicker from Brass, who looked at Alex and nodded towards Nick, saying "Discovery Channel enthusiast."

"And proud of it. You know what they say Greg... _'A little knowledge is a dangerous thing_.' I intend to keep myself informed. If you choose to dabble in latex outer-wear and DNA testing your girlfriends, who am I to judge?"

The two men tried to stare each other down, but both dissolved into laughter. Nick finished it off.

"Whatever man... To each his own. Live and let live, I say."

Brass finally got back down to business, but with a mischievous twinkle in his eye as he spoke. "Is someone going to fingerprint the lady, or is she going to be stuck here all night while you two arm wrestle?"

A slight flush rose to Nick's face, and Greg quickly volunteered for fingerprinting duty.

"Here we go," Greg enthused as he moved toward Alex, ink pad and paper in hand. "Prepare for some nice dirty fingertips."

Brass spoke up again, mistakenly thinking he was being nice by letting her leave. "After this, we can take you somewhere for the night. Unfortunately, your apartment is still a crime scene, so you won't be able to go back there for a while... at least not to stay there. But we can take you anywhere you want to go. No problem."

Alex felt an unexpected lump form in her throat.

_Where am I going to stay_? _My closest friends are away for the university intra-session break_, _and my friends that are still here aren't that close that I'd feel comfortable asking for this kind of favour_, _especially at this time of the morning_.

She looked at Nick's watch across the table. 2:30 am. She looked up, feeling uneasy, to find Nick observing her carefully. It almost looked as though he was reading her mind.

It seemed even more likely he was when he asked, "Is there someone you can call, someone who can put you up?"

Alex felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. There really was no one she felt that comfortable with in Vegas. Now what?


	4. Chapter 4

Nick looked at the emotions showing on Alex's face, and felt a moment of helplessness. Clearly she had nobody here to help her out.

"Do you have family or friends in Vegas?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No. My family lives in Canada. And all my closest friends have gone on holidays..." She trailed off, feeling stupid.

_Man_, _I feel like a loser_. She felt like shouting _I'm not friendless! I'm not a loner! It's just bad timing_...

"Listen, if I can get back home and grab my wallet, I'll just book myself into a motel somewhere. It's no big deal. It'll only be a few days until I can get back into my place, right?"

Nick grimaced. Combining the fact that he'd rushed her outside for fresh air with the state of shock she'd probably still been in, she most likely hadn't gotten a good look at the state of her condo. He didn't know how to respond to her, but thankfully Brass took over.

"Actually, it may take more than a few days... and even then, it may take a while to clean the place up."

Her heart sank. She'd noticed a bit of the mess peripherally, but had been too distracted to take it all in. Her thoughts were interrupted by Nick's cell phone ringing.

"Stokes." He listened intently and turned to Alex, with a questioning look on his face. "Just a sec, Cath." and then to Alex, "Do you have a car?"

Alex shook her head no. Nick passed the information on, and then nodded as he listened to Catherine's response.

"Cool. We'll take a look at it when you get back... Oh yeah- Sorry. I'll come get you guys."

He hung up the phone and looked at Alex apologetically. "I left them over there without wheels. The officer has to stay with the crime scene until morning, on the off-chance the intruder returns tonight. But they found a parking ticket on the living room floor. Do you know where it might have come from?"

Alex shook her head. "No. I haven't had anybody over in a while, and I can't recall the last time someone came over to pick me up with a car..."

Nick nodded and looked at Brass. "Well, that might be something then."

Alex looked at Brass and asked, "Do you have any more questions for me right now? Can I go with him and pick up some things from my place? If I'm evicted for a few days, I'm going to need more than my pyjamas and running shoes."

Brass nodded quickly and said, "Of course. It'd be better if you go while there are CSI's around to OK what you remove..."

At her look of mild consternation, he explained, "They have to check through your place for evidence first and nothing can be disturbed until they've gone over it all and signed off on it. Don't worry- you still have rights in Nevada... even if you're Canadian." He winked at her and she laughed.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to look annoyed. It's just so much to... Ugh."

She gave up trying to make sense of it all, and grinned hopelessly at the two men while she leaned back against her chair dejectedly.

Nick felt a pang of powerlessness yet again, and wished he could do more for her right now. The thought had crossed his mind several times tonight already that he'd like to just take her back to his home where she'd be safe. He knew that was ridiculous, not to mention unprofessional. If there was one thing all the CSI's here knew, it was that personal and professional lives stayed separate, and never the twain shall meet, or so the saying went.

It had been a challenge by times, as the CSI's worked closely together, and well, things happened sometimes that got in the way. Hell, sometimes _life_ got in the way.

In court, however, your whole life was on trial. All it took was the appearance of one 'questionable incident or relationship in front of the right defense attorney, and court cases went down the tubes. They'd all learned that the hard way on a few cases they'd had to present evidence for in the past.

Nick would never jeopardize a case that way. Especially if they caught this asshole who'd gone on a rage-spree in Alex's apartment, and he went on trial. No, not _if_... _When_. _When_ they caught this asshole.

And of course, Alex would hardly be willing to go home with a virtual stranger. Especially after what had happened to her tonight. Nick clenched his hands together and thought to himself, _give your head a shake_, _man_._ You're on a case_.

Alex had gotten up and was looking at Nick expectantly. He felt confusion for a moment, as if she'd known what he was thinking, and then remembered what was going on. "Right. Let's go. Follow me."

They made their way out to the Denali, and Nick unlocked her door, opened it for her, and then gave her a hand up to the seat, even though in reality it wasn't that high off the ground.

She laughed a little, and Nick looked at her inquiringly. "What?"

He was smiling back her. Her heart liquefied.

_Man_, _what a smile he has_.

She was glad she was already sitting... She'd never been the sort to go weak in the knees, but there was always a first time. "Nothing."

He laughed and headed round to his side of the SUV. As they headed down the street, he tried to start a conversation with her.

"So, where are you from?"

_Oh man, nice one Nick_. _Now offer to buy her a drink!_

He tried to cover up the lame comment. "I mean, you said your family is all in Canada... You're Canadian?" He glanced back and forth between Alex and the road.

"Um, _half _actually. My dad is Canadian and my mom's American. I was born in Vermont, so I have a US passport, but I've lived my whole life in Canada until now. I can't vote here, but I can go to school or work here. I think I'm a resident alien or something. I lived most of my life in Vancouver, and then in Whistler for a while."

"The ski resort?"

"Yeah."

"Cool. I've seen photos, and stuff on TV. It looks pretty beautiful. Do you ski?"

"Um, I snowboard actually. I can ski a little, but I prefer to board. I have my instructor's certificate if you ever need a lesson." The words had left her mouth before she realized what she was saying. Feeling more embarrassed than at any point so far that night, she silently berated herself.

_Why don't you just offer all your services to him while you're at it_,_ genius? Eager to please_, _much?_

She felt the blood rising to her cheeks and was thankful for the darkness the wee hours of the morning provided.

Nick only laughed and reminded her of the obvious. "Well, I don't know too many ski resorts around Vegas, but maybe I'll borrow your expertise sometime and head somewhere in California."

She laughed and jokingly agreed. "Sounds good. I don't cover equipment rentals or lift tickets in my lesson prices though."

He laughed some more. "Fair enough."

An easy silence settled in the front seat, and Alex snuggled Nick's jacket a little closer to her.

"Cold?"

"Nah. I'm a Canadian, remember?"

"Yeah, right. I'm not sure if my southern bones could handle it up there."

A self-deprecating smile formed on his lips as Alex glanced his way. He was just way too charming for his own good, and she wondered if he was aware of it. In her experience, most guys who were that good looking were fully aware of the fact and knew how to work it to their advantage. She decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.

"So, where abouts are you from, Nick?"

He felt an unexpected warmth at her use of his name. Her slight Canadian accent worked its way into the pronunciation, making it sound that much cuter to him.

"Dallas, Texas. At your service, ma'am." He pretended to tip an imaginary hat in her direction.

She laughed. Yep, he was too damned charming, and she was falling for it. "That explains it then."

He glanced at her with a quizzical look. "Explains what?"

She smiled back. "The chivalry in helping me into your wagon, _pardner_."

He laughed at her lame joke. Texans were used to the sad attempts by others to put on a southern accent. He sensed there was no disrespect behind her joke, however, and pulled out his true Texan drawl for her.

"My mamma raised me right, ma'am. Every good Texan man knows how to respect his women-folk."

Alex howled with laughter, and Nick joined in. He threw a few more clichés at her, mingled with his own laughter, and she laughed until tears formed in her eyes.

"Please. _Stop_. I can't take any more." She wiped at her tears with the sleeve of his jacket. "Seriously!"

He glanced at her sideways, and snuck one last one in. "Sorry ma'am. I'm just a humble cowboy who meant no offence. Why, pa'd take me out to the barn and _whup_ me but good if he found out I upset a lady!"

Alex's body wanted to double over with the laughter she couldn't contain, but the seatbelt held her fast. Nick laughed heartily beside her, and found that he was enjoying himself immensely. In fact, he thought maybe he was having more fun than he should be, under the circumstances.

He glanced at Alex again, and was rewarded by the grin that lingered on her face, even after her laughter had finally subsided. That made it all worth while to him after all. She needed a break from this mess wherever she could find it. Nick was just happy he'd helped her to forget for a little while.

Looking back at the street, he realized they were almost back at the condo, and he felt Alex stiffen next to him. He sighed, knowing that the happiness of the last few minutes had just evaporated for her. He had the urge to just keep driving past the building, and not even stop. He wanted to take her someplace safe... Make her laugh again.

He pulled up to the curb and turned to her in the passenger seat. "Listen, I know the place is a mess, but we'll sort it all out and get things back to normal for you as soon as possible. Try not to stress over it to much once we go inside. I'm sure it looks worse than it is."

She appreciated his attempt to make her feel better, and tried to smile at him to prove that she believed him but she had a feeling she hadn't looked very convincing, since he was now frowning at her, his eyes showing concern.

"You don't have to go back in there right now, you know. Just tell me what you need and I can get it sorted for you. Catherine or Sara can go through your clothing for you..."

"No, Nick, it's OK. Really. I'll be fine. Let's just get it over with."

He nodded at her and got out of the Denali. He came around to her side and held the door for her. She smiled at him. He winked and tipped his imaginary hat at her once more, hoping desperately to lighten the situation a bit.

He led the way up to the door, and Alex considered his words from the moment before... _We'll sort it all out and get things back to normal for you_...

Somehow, she didn't think her world would be feeling anything close to normal for quite a while. The funny thing was, she couldn't shake the feeling that part of the reason she felt so upside-down right now had something to do with the attractive man in front of her...


	5. Chapter 5

_**A.N**_: Man, after a few days of prolific inspiration, I had some trouble getting this chapter started. I had plenty of good ideas for later stuff, but I didn't know where to start with this one.

Thanks again for all the nice reviews. You people are so encouraging! Anyway, here's hoping this chapter doesn't suck!

* * *

Nick nodded to the officer at the door. "Alex, can you just wait here a sec while I see what the story is inside?"

She nodded and he entered the condo.

"Hey Catherine. How're we doing?"

"Well, I'm almost finished down here. I've found some strange red hairs. They're a little short and a little coarse to be human... I think. I'm going to get them back to the lab, but my guess would be dog hairs. I haven't noticed any signs of pets here. Does she have any?"

"Hmmm. Don't know. But she's just outside so we can check with her."

Catherine's eyebrows raised in question." You brought her back here? Think that's wise right now?"

"I know, I know. But she needed to pick up some stuff since she can't stay here for a while. We thought it'd be better to do it while we're all still here."

"You think the guy might come back?"

"Don't you?"

"Well, I definitely get the feeling this guy knew her, or at least he'd been watching her. Probably knew her routine. I mean, I don't think it was just luck that he picked this condo... A woman living alone, and the fact that she was actually _home_ when he broke in. He knew something about the person living here."

Nick nodded his agreement, and Sara suddenly appeared from upstairs.

"I'm all done up there. I photographed everything as well." She turned to Nick and frowned. "It looks like he didn't just do his _magic_ on the bed. One of her dresser drawers has some of his specimens inside as well."

"_Shit_. And Alex is waiting outside to pick up some clothes and things. This isn't good."

Sara decided not to resume her teasing from earlier. "Listen, why don't I go upstairs and just move that drawer out of sight... put it in the corner or something." Then she frowned. "Crap. It's got her underwear in it. I'm sure she was planning on grabbing some of that."

Deciding he couldn't leave Alex standing out in the cool night air for much longer, he sighed and looked at Sara. "Just do what you can, Sar. I'll try to think of something to tell her."

Sara nodded her agreement and frowned to herself as she headed upstairs. Nick was always the empathetic one, and she worried one of these days it was going to come back around and hurt him somehow. She'd come to think of her fellow CSI's as a sort of makeshift family, and she felt especially fond of good old reliable Nick.

She knew she could always count on him. He was a strong guy and he could handle himself, but she planned to be there if he ever needed her help. She had no doubt he'd return the favour at the drop of a hat. She hoped that he knew what he was doing, and that he wouldn't get himself into trouble on this one.

Downstairs, Nick looked back at Catherine as Sara went back up to the bedroom. "You're almost done here, right? It won't be an issue for her to come through now?"

Catherine nodded. "I've collected all the samples I can. Oh, I forgot to mention a footprint I got from the kitchen floor. Judging by the size, I'd say it's definitely from a male. It was pretty faint, but I managed to get a good lift from it."

"That's some good news at least."

He looked at her with chagrin before he headed back outside to get Alex. He was still worried about how she was going to feel about all this, seeing her stuff smashed and broken all over the place. Catherine looked at his back with concern, but said nothing.

Outside, Alex looked up as he opened the door. He took a small breath and asked, "Ready?"

"I guess so."

She took her own big breath and squared her shoulders, as if preparing for battle. Nick smiled to himself at the tough image she tried to present.

She might have pulled it off too, if she hadn't had a bandage on her forehead, and hadn't been wearing the strange combination of his oversized CSI jacket and her pale blue flannel pyjama bottoms with little yellow chicks all over them. He couldn't help but think she looked entirely too fragile, and he felt an overwhelming urge to wrap his arms around her and protect her. Again, he tried to shake off the feeling.

_Stay professional_, _here_._ Just do the job_.

He held the door for her as she went into the condo. She smiled nervously at him as she thought to herself, _always the gentleman_...

Her smile slipped as she stopped at the edge of her entry mat, staring at the scene before her in astonishment. She vaguely remembered her bedroom being a mess, but she hadn't realized how bad the living room was.

Tables were overturned, shelves pulled from the walls, and the floor was covered with broken bits of glass and papers, in addition to all of her books, magazines and odds and ends. The TV had been pushed off its stand and was laying screen down on the floor. There were broken pictures and wall hangings laying in pieces everywhere and she noted dings and gashes in the walls where things had been smashed against them.

She noted a particularly huge gouge in one corner and her heart sank as she looked below it to see her brand new laptop computer damaged beyond repair on the carpet, the screen having actually been ripped from the keyboard section. Her eyes welled up as she remembered that her parents had given it to her as a "back to school" present. She sniffled a bit and swiped at her eyes, refusing to let this get to her. It's only _stuff_, she thought. _Things_. And _things_ can be replaced.

Nick stood behind her, and looked around the room in disgust.

Catherine noted the tears that had tried to well up in Alex's eyes and gently questioned her.

"Miss Winters, do you have any pets?"

Alex slowly looked at Catherine and tried to focus. "Uh, no. No pets. Why?"

"We found some strange fibres, and I think they might be dog hairs. Has there been anyone in here with an animal recently?"

"Not recently, no. The renter before me had a black Lab, though. But all traces of it seemed to have vanished when I moved in." She smiled a bit. "My landlord is very conscientious about that stuff."

In mentioning the landlord, a new train of thought started up in Alex's brain.

_Oh man_._ Most of this stuff belongs to the landlord_..._ Or at least the furniture and the TV does_. _Not to mention the state of the walls_...

She looked around the room with a renewed sense of panic.

_What's the landlord going to think_?

As if sensing her thoughts, Catherine spoke up.

"Don't worry about the damages. Your landlord will be insured for this sort of thing. You're not liable for damages incurred during break-ins or robberies, and neither is he. Just worry about yourself right now. This will all get taken care of."

Alex tried to smile at the woman, appreciating her sensitivity to Alex's plight, but she had trouble making her mouth cooperate so she spoke instead.

"Thanks. You must have been reading my mind."

Catherine replied."Unfortunately, I've seen this far too many times before, so I've become a bit of an expert on the policies." She gestured around her, and asked, "I know it sounds crazy asking this right now, but does it appear that anything's missing in here?"

She looked ruefully back at Alex, well aware of the challenge it would be to spot an absent item in this mess. "Take your time and look around."

Alex gave it a try though, and ran her gaze over the chaos surrounding her. She noted many things broken that broke her heart, but couldn't decide if anything was missing.

_There's just too much_...

"I'm sorry, I... I just can't tell right now." She shook her head dejectedly.

Sara came back downstairs, repeating what she'd already told her fellow CSI's earlier. "Everything's done up there. If you wanted to remove some articles from your bedroom Miss Winters-"

"Please, just call me Alex."

"Sure. _Alex_. You can head up now, if you like."

Sara smiled at her encouragingly, although she was sure that, given the state the room was in it wouldn't be the most enjoyable place for Alex to visit right now.

Alex looked back at Nick and tried to build up her courage again. He gave her a slight smile and that seemed to help a little.

"_Right_. I need some clothes. And my toothpaste. And my shampoo..."

She continued to think out loud as she started up the stairs. Nick gave Sara and Catherine a small grin and followed her up.

Sara turned to Catherine and frowned after he'd disappeared from sight.

"Hmmm. I think this one's gotten to Nick. I hope he doesn't mess things up. The case always has to come first."

Catherine had her own niggling doubts, but she had a lot of faith in Nick. He was as reliable as they came.

"Don't worry, Sara. Nick's a professional."

* * *

Upstairs, Alex tried to keep her emotions under control as she looked at the destruction in her bedroom.

Like the living room, furniture had been overturned, and everything that had been lying loose was now scattered on the floor, including a bunch of her clothing. Something akin to a small wimper escaped her, and she turned nervously to Nick, hoping he hadn't heard her.

Judging by the sympathetic look on his face, he had. The last thing she wanted was to appear like a scared, helpless woman. There were few things she hated more than the cliche image of a weak, dependent woman always looking to a big, strong man for assistance.

She set her chin firmly and took a look around her. "OK. What can I take?"

She considered the floor, noting that her jeans, bra and t-shirt seemed to be laying outside the bathroom door pretty much where she'd dropped them before her shower. She scooped them up and looked back around.

"Do you have a suitcase or something you can stick this stuff in?" Nick inquired.

"Yeah, I do. Good idea."

She knelt down beside the bed and reached underneath, feeling for her suitcase handle. As she pulled it out, she looked across the top of her bed, noticing the stains there for the first time.

"What the..." She looked at them carefully, not registering what they were. Nick looked down at the floor uncomfortably. As she stood back up, case in hand, she looked at him questioningly. "What's all over my bed?"

He looked back at her apologetically, and for a moment he was ashamed to be a male. "We think the intruder... relieved himself on your bed... and a few other places."

"He _relieved_..." She looked back at the stains, not understanding. But the stains are _white_...

Suddenly she realized what he meant, and felt the bile start to rise in her throat. Her knuckles turned white as her grip on the suitcase handle tightened, and her pallor altered to the same shade of pale. She moved slightly back and leaned against the wall near her headboard. She felt nausea rolling around in her stomach, and fought to keep it down.

_My God_, she thought. _I knew he probably wasn't here to rob me_, _but this_...

It finally started to hit home.

_The man who broke into my house_, _who smashed everything to peices_... _He'd planned on raping me_,_ and God only knows what else_...

The reality of what she'd known all along but had pushed to the back of her mind rapidly overwhelmed her. She started to tremble, and bit her lip to fight back the tears again.

Nick watched her transfomation grimly. He honestly didn't know what to say.

He walked close to her, gently removing the suitcase from her fingers. He replaced an overturned bedside table and placed the case on top. He wanted to get her mind off the implications that the stains had obviously made concrete in her mind.

"Alex? It's OK. It's over. We can fix this." He tried to get her to look at him, hoping to somehow help her to regain her own strength simply by his own look of conviction.

She looked up at him, as if just now noticing that he was still in the room, and then looked away again. Her gaze was watery and unfocussed. He moved closer to her, and reached out to touch her arm. She flinched at his touch, and he pulled back. He silently rebuked himself, and placed his hands at his sides.

"It's OK, Alex. You're _safe_. I won't let anything happen to you. Do you understand?"

She didn't respond immediately, so he tried to get his face on level with hers without getting too close, and he looked into her bleary eyes, lamenting the tears that had broken free and were sliding down her cheeks.

"_Alex_? It's going to be OK. I promise."

Hearing the soft but supportive tone of Nick's voice, she felt her sanity returning bit by bit. She forced herself to look into his eyes. The concern that she saw there began to warm her heart a little, and it slowly started to dispel the fear that had taken hold.

She sniffled, and gave him the beginnings of a watery smile. "I'm sorry, Nick. I don't know what happened there... I guess I lost it." She wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand.

He shook his head in mild disbelief.

"Truth be told, I can't believe you haven't broken down before this. You've had a rough night, and you've been so strong the whole way through. I've been wondering when it was going to catch up with you." He grinned at her, but with a caring look in his eyes. "Now's as good a time as any, I figure."

She managed to smile back and felt another surge of gratitude for this amazing guy. She wondered how she'd managed to luck out and have someone like him watching out for her... She gave herself yet another mental shake.

_How many times do I have to remind myself_, _he's just doing his job_._ He's just a nice guy who's doing his job_. _Time to get back to reality_.

Nick tried to capitalize on the positive momentum the moment had taken on.

"Can I grab some stuff for you out of the bathroom? Toothbrush? Toothpaste?"

He tried to look casual, hoping to return the situation to something slightly closer to normalcy. He knew it was a stretch, since the hits just seemed to keep on coming, but he wanted her to get beyond the disgust and sense of violation that she was clearly experiencing. "I heard you mention your shampoo..."

She blew out a breath and tried to refocus on the task at hand. "Yeah. That'd be great. Thanks. There should be a make-up bag thingy under the sink. Just toss some stuff in there. I'll take a look at what else I need after I track down some clothes."

He headed into the bathroom as she headed towards her closet. Fortunately, her lack of drawer space meant that she had to hang most of her clothes up, and it seemed that the intruder had managed to avoid the closet during his ransacking.

She felt another involuntary shudder as she considered the implications of that.

_If he'd checked the closet more carefully_,_ I might not be standing here right now_...

She shook her head again and tried to concentrate on picking out some clothes to take away with her.

_Don't think about it_. _Not right now_. _All you need to think about is the fact that you're alive and doing OK_.

She felt another shiver run through her veins.

_Yeah_, _you're alive and well because of Nick_. _He saved your life_...

At this last thought, she turned as she heard him exiting the bathroom, and found herself unable to keep from staring at him. He looked back at her questioningly, and his brows knitted in concern.

"What's wrong? Are you OK?" He moved towards her.

"No. I'm alright. It's just that... _Well_..." She looked at him awkwardly.

"It's just _what_? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, I swear. It's just that... Nick, you saved my life. I almost died tonight... I mean, maybe I even _did_ die. But you brought me back. I wouldn't be standing here right now if it wasn't for you." She looked at him emotionally, and then looked down at the floor. "I don't know how I can ever thank you."

She looked back up and him and the expression on her face stabbed at his heart. She looked confused and wounded and, well... _grateful_, all at the same time.

He didn't want her to have to go through this all over again, and his mind worked at how he could divert the anguish that he could see clearly re-building within her. He touched her shoulder, and the contact made her look back into his face, her eyes serious again. He stared back and tried to lessen the somber tenor of the situation.

"Don't worry about it, Alex. It's my job. Anyone would have done the same. I'm just glad we got here in time."

She still looked far too concerned for his liking, and he decided to take another approach. He remembered something he'd noticed when she'd lain there on the floor not breathing, and he'd first placed his mouth over hers.

"Plus, it was awfully thoughtful of you to be so considerate about the mouth-to-mouth resuscitation."

Her eyebrows went up and she looked at him in wonder. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, you had nice clean, winter-fresh breath. It's always nice when the person you're resuscitating goes that extra mile for you."

She stared back at him, not knowing what to make of the comment for about half a second, until she saw the twinkle in his eyes. She immediately burst out laughing.

He felt relief that it hadn't backfired on him. Not everybody responded well to humour in a situation like this, but he'd had a hunch... He laughed along with her and tried to keep the mood light for as long as possible.

"There's nothing like a little garlic or onion breath to spoil a special moment like that."

She continued to convulse with laughter, the tears forming in her eyes like they had during his Texas drawl jokes on the drive over. She tried to keep a straight face, but failed miserably as she spoke.

"Oh my God! I can't believe you said that! How unprofessional! Seriously, I feel like I should file a complaint or something… Who do I have to talk to?"

She continued to chuckle, and he laughed harder. Then he looked at her very seriously and stated, "I'll deny everything. You can't prove anything."

She laughed again and beamed back at him.

_If only the circumstances were different_...

She could easily see herself falling hard for this guy.

"So, do you have everything you need from in here? I grabbed some face scrub and stuff off the counter as well. I hope it's stuff you need."

He held open her make-up bag and she glanced inside. She nodded her approval.

"Wow, good job. I think you got all the necessities."

He shrugged. "I have sisters... _Many_, _many_ sisters."

She laughed at his comment, then looked back at her closet. "I just need to grab some stuff..." And she made her way back over, grabbing a few shirts and some pants and sweaters. "Now, I just need to locate some under... garments?"

She looked at her dresser in dismay. The drawer with her underwear in it was notably absent. "What the...?"

Nick hashed over in his brain whether he should try and deflect the problem, or whether to just tell her the truth. He decided to go for honesty.

"Alex, look... The thing is... This guy, he, um... _messed_ with that drawer as well."

He waited to see if she caught on to what he was saying, hoping he wouldn't need to go into more detail. She looked confused for about 10 seconds and then he saw the comprehension register on her face.

"_Oh_."

He worried that she might start to slip back into her earlier state of anxiety, but even as these thoughts ran through his mind, he watched her straighten up and resume command of herself again.

"Right. Well, I guess I can go commando until I can get to a store and pick up some new stuff."

He felt a bit proud of how she'd managed to overcome the fear that had overwhelmed her earlier... and a bit of shame as he started to imagine sensual scenarios which involved Alex _going commando_...

_Snap out of it Stokes_._ This isn't the time or the place_.

He watched as she unceremoniously dumped her belongings into her suitcase, and reached for the make-up bag he still held. Lastly, she grabbed a pair of shoes and some sandals from the closet floor. Tossing them into the case, she closed the lid and zipped it shut.

"I think I'm good to go."

He nodded at her and raised his arm towards the door. "After you."

She started to walk past him, then stopped. "Oh. I forgot to grab my wallet. It's in my bag."

Her eyes scanned the room for her handbag. She was certain she'd left it on her dresser...

"Ah. There it is." She saw the bag poking out between the wall and the dresser. She picked it up and opened the wallet. Thankfully, everything seemed intact, including her money and credit cards.

"Everything where it should be?" Nick inquired.

She nodded yes, and replied, "Thank goodness for small favours. I'm going to need some money if I'm going to replace my... _things _tomorrow."

She felt a blush creep up to her cheeks. She couldn't quite bring herelf to say a word as girly as _underwear _in front of Nick, and felt a little silly. Nick smiled at her, and tried to suppress the return of the completely unprofessional images of Alex he'd had just a moment before. He worked to cover it quickly.

"Ok then, let's see how it's going downstairs. They should be done by now, I'm guessing." He once again gestured to the door, and followed her as she made her way down the stairs. They heard the tail end of Catherine's last comment.

"...and the kitchen was virtually untouched, outside of the broken glass from the back door."

Alex joined the conversation. "How ironic. The place I use the least is the one place he left alone." They all looked at her, and she sheepishly admitted, "I don't really cook. I'm not very good at it."

They all chuckled, but behind the amusement, Nick and Catherine looked at each other in mutual understanding. Irony may have had little to do with it, if this guy had been watching her movements for any length of time. Chances are, if there was a method to his madness, he'd probably wanted to lash out and hit her where it hurt, if anything. And if he knew her habits, the kitchen wouldn't have fit that particular bill.

Sara interrupted their thoughts, smiling at Alex appreciatively. "Another member of _cookers-anonymous_. Join the club. We have meetings."

Alex chuckled and nodded. "It's hard to live on take-away and fast food alone... Especially when you don't eat any meat except for fish. Fish burgers are just nasty." She made a sour face.

"I don't eat meat either. I used to live on a lot of stir-fried veggies with rice until I located some great vegetarian places around town. If you need some suggestions, let me know."

Alex nodded her thanks. "I may take you up on that. Thanks."

"Well, let's get this show on the road." Catherine looked at Alex. "Are you all set?"

Alex nodded yes, and they all made for the doorway. Passing the officer outside, Nick addressed him.

"Detective Brass will be joining you in a few hours. He plans to canvas the neighbours and see if anyone saw anything out of the ordinary. Maybe you can go back over to the people who first reported the noises..."

The officer chuckled and shook his head at Nick. "Stokes, why do you constantly feel the need to tell me how to do my job? Just because you're better than me at baseball, don't think you know my job better than me."

Nick laughed and raised his hands in defeat. "Sorry, sorry. I trust you, Perkins." He grinned and lead the way back to the Denali.

When they reached the SUV, Sara deferred to Catherine for the front seat as Catherine stated, "Age before beauty."

Sara laughed as she climbed into the seat behind her. "Catherine, I think you've got that covered on both accounts."

Catherine smiled and batted her lashes into the rearview mirror at Sara. Nick laughed as he opened the door for Alex and helped her in. He looked over her at Sara.

"Smooth, Sara. Very smooth."

She smiled back and gave a cheeky giggle. "What can I say. I know how to treat a lady."

They all laughed as Nick started the engine and pulled away from the curb. Alex grinned to herself as she looked out her window. It was nice to be around people who seemed to get along so well. She sighed sleepily and wondered how her friends were enjoying their trip to Thailand, the grin remaining on her lips.

Nick got a glimpse of her in the rearview mirror and smiled. She looked so content back there.

He decided then and there that he was going to make sure she stayed that way, no matter what it took.

Catherine gave him a sidelong glance and noticed the sudden look of determination on his face. She smiled to herself as they drove back towards the LVPD.

_Hmmm_. _I think Nicky might have found a little more than he expected at the crime scene tonight_...


	6. Chapter 6

_**A.N**_: OK, this is the part where I ask you to engage your "_suspension of disbelief_" mechanisms. You know, like when you watch a movie, and deep down you think "Yeah _riiiight_. As if that could ever happen..." But you let it go, because it's just a movie? Yeah, do that. Pretend that these things could really happen in the real world, and that the police procedures could really be like this!

* * *

Alex yawned again.

_Man_,_ what time is it_?

She leaned to look around Nick's seat and glanced at the dashboard clock. Just after 5 in the a.m.

_Damn_. _A late night_ a_nd I didn't even get drunk or go dancing_.

She could barely keep her eyes open, the smooth, rhythmic vibrations of the car making her even sleepier. She started to realize that she didn't know where she was going from here... Back to the LVPD, and _then_ where?

She started to hope that maybe Detective Brass had some more questions for her; anything to keep her from thinking about where she was going to stay tonight... Or rather, this morning.

_I guess I can find a motel somewhere_.

Before she could worry any further, fatigue beat out anxiety, and she drifted off to sleep. Nick's cell phone chirping from the front didn't even cause her to stir.

"Stokes." Nick listened to the caller on the other end. "Yep, we're on our way back right now. Hmmm. Really. What do you want to do?"

Nick stopped at a light and looked at Catherine, who mouthed the word "Brass?"

Nick nodded in the affirmative and resumed talking. "Yeah, that might be an idea. I'll run it by her..."

He glanced in the rearview mirror to see Alex asleep, her head leaning against her window. He smiled, and Catherine followed his gaze. She looked at Nick as he shut down his phone.

"She must be beat. I sometimes forget that besides the folks in the casinos, most people aren't on nightshift time." She questioned Nick. "What's up with Brass? Anything from the lab samples?"

"He didn't say. He's thinking we may be able to put Alex in a 'safe house' for a bit... Keep an eye on her."

"_Safe house_? I didn't even know we had one."

"Apparently we have _two_, and they're both vacant."

"Weird. It may be a good idea though, until we figure out if there's still a threat on her. It never hurts to be too safe in these cases."

She thought about Nigel Crane but decided to refrain from mentioning him. That'd been a scary one for Nick, and she didn't feel the need to reopen old wounds.

Sara leaned forward from the back seat, her voice lowered to keep from waking the sleeping woman next to her.

"I'm surprised the department will foot the bill on that one. They'll have to assign her officers too, won't they? That's man hours... They're stingy enough when we work overtime."

Catherine nodded her agreement. "Yeah, and _how_. But this is a criminal issue here... 'To Serve and Protect', remember? This would fall under the protect category, I believe."

"I just hope they can justify the spending." Sara sat back in her seat.

Nick felt a moment of annoyance at Sara's comments. She was always so... practical.

He found it wasn't that easy to approach everything so pragmatically all the time, but then again he was often accused of being overly compassionate to the people they dealt with on their cases. But he refused to make apologies. These people were usually the victims of crimes, and he didn't think it was wrong to try and make it easier for them whenever he could. Each member of the nightshift team operated the way each of them felt comfortable, and he did the same. He honestly believed that it had helped him become a better CSI in the end. People would often confide in him when other people had tried and failed to get them to reveal information.

He sighed. He'd long ago acknowledged that he and Sara worked differently, and he even figured that was why they usually worked so well together; they each offered different strengths. He didn't know why he was getting peeved at her now. She was just being Sara.

They entered the parking lot outside the CSI labs, and Catherine looked in the back seat before turning to Nick. "Why don't you just drop Sara and me off here and drive her around to the PD offices? I think she can use all the sleep she can get."

"Yeah, that's a good idea."

Nick smiled at Catherine. She was a tough lady, but that didn't make her inconsiderate. In fact, Nick found her to be great with people most of the time. Even Grissom usually referred to her as a "people person". Although compared to Grissom, almost anyone else could be called a people person, but that was another matter altogether.

Sara and Catherine climbed out of the Denali and carefully closed their doors. Nick gave them a quick wave and then he started to drive around the building.

Sara stood next Catherine. "Hmmm. I don't know Catherine. I worry."

"I know you do Sara. You can be so positive sometimes it's frightening."

Sara looked at Catherine and raised an eyebrow. "Fine. Just don't forget who said it first when this becomes complicated."

"Sara... Look, don't worry about it. Nick knows what he's doing. You should know that by now." Sara looked at her doubtfully.

Catherine sighed. "OK, I'll talk to him. But I'm not going to tell him what to do. I'm just checking in, seeing where his head's at. Satisfied?"

Sara smiled and started to walk towards the CSI doors. Catherine hesitated for a moment, and then followed her.

* * *

Nick parked in front of the PD section of the massive LVPD building. Quietly climbing out of the SUV, he gently eased open the door Sara had exited a moment before and called out to Alex. She didn't stir, so he tried again, a little louder. Still nothing.

_Wow_, _she must be really exhausted_.

He leaned over the seat and shook her arm lightly. Then again a little harder.

Alex felt something shaking her in the darkness and slowly opened her eyes. She felt a little disoriented as she lifted her head from the window glass and looked around. Her glance fell on a shadowed but familiar face. Nick smiled at her and leaned back out the door.

"Hey sleepy. We're back at the PD."

Alex stared back at him unabashedly, not quite fully awake and thus a bit more uninhibited. She admired the lean planes of his attractive face, and the big, welcoming smile and thought to herself, _I could soooo wake up to that every morning_. She stretched like a cat and smiled back at him, feeling warm inside.

Then she realized where she was again and snapped back to her former self... the former self who didn't smile and stretch in such a familiar manner in front of men she'd known less than 6 or 7 hours.

She stumbled to regain her composure. "Oh. We're back. I must have fallen asleep."

_Yeah, way to state the obvious_.

"Um. I... What do I do now? Does Detective Brass have any more questions for me?"

Nick could have sworn she looked almost hopeful at the thought, but decided it was just a combination of shadows and the interior car light altering her features.

"I'm not sure actually. He's got a proposition for you though. It may save you some money on a motel."

He closed the door as she climbed out from the other side of the SUV. They walked back towards the PD front doors.

"Yeah? How's that?"

"Well, apparently we have a place where you can stay for a few nights while we finish sorting out your condo."

They entered the building and headed down the hallway, Alex presumed towards Brass's office. "And you'll have police protection as well."

Alex turned to look at him as they walked. "Police protection... Do I need that?"

She knew that the guy who'd broken into her place had meant business, but... Wouldn't he be long gone by now? He hadn't gotten her and she figured he'd just move on...

_Hmmm_. _Probably to try somewhere else_.

She grimaced at the thought that her luck might possibly end in someone else's... misfortune. She couldn't bring herself to think of what that could actually mean. She knew it was crazy, but she started to feel guilty.

As she was contemplating this, Detective Brass appeared from around a corner and stopped in front of them.

He saw the concern etched on her face. "How're you doing? Did you get what you needed?"

"Oh, um, yeah. I'm all set." She tried to smile.

Despite the kindness of everyone here tonight, the combination of her state of exhaustion and the onset of these new concerns in her mind was making it hard work to stay positive. And she needed to know what was really going on here. She didn't like having only part of the picture.

"Look, Detective Brass... Nick told me about this place you can put me up in, and..."

Brass interrupted, nodding. "Yeah, we have a safe house for you."

A _safe house_? Wasn't that for people in the witness relocation program or something? What was going on here? Did they know something about her attacker that they weren't telling her?

"Are you kidding? Listen, I just think this is all getting out of hand. I mean, some crazy broke into my house. He didn't find me and he's probably long gone..." At the skeptical look on both the men's faces, she paused. "Right?" She stared at Brass.

Brass decided to cut to the chase. "Look, I think this is probably somebody who knew you, or someone who's been watching you."

He glanced at the other man to see if he agreed. Nick looked unhappy and nodded, then looked down at the ground.

"People will be getting up soon. We're going to canvas your neighbours in and around your building... See if anybody has seen anything unusual around your neighbourhood lately. But until we know who did this, you're in danger. This guy might have given up... but maybe not."

Alex let the words sink in, and she felt her shoulders slouch involuntarily. This hadn't even occurred to her. Suddenly, her world felt all topsy-turvey once again.

Nick watched her wilt before him, and moved to a position facing her. He looked her straight in the eyes as he spoke seriously. "I think you should do this, Alex. A safe house will be just that: _safe_."

She looked back at him and felt herself mentally give up.

_I can't take any more of this_. _I just want to go to sleep and forget about everything for now_.

After a moment, she nodded her head in acquiescence.

Nick felt a surge of relief. He knew he'd be able to focus on the case much better if he wasn't constantly wondering if she was safe.

She looked up at the two men wearily. "OK. What now?"

* * *

Moving to Brass's office, Nick gave Brass the lowdown on the rest of the evidence they'd located, including the man-sized footprint in the kitchen. Alex told him that there had been no men in her place since about a month ago when she'd had a small group of friends over. And she'd just washed the floors last week.

Brass tried to cover his smile as she went on to re-emphasize the fact that there'd been _absolutely_ _no_ _men_ in her condo since then. She'd even blushed a bit as she had realized her own over-statement, but he'd tactfully ignored it and moved on to a few questions about her landlord, who it seemed was currently visiting his in-laws in Chicago.

The undercover officer who'd been assigned to watch Alex had phoned to say he was en route. Brass noted he hadn't sounded too pleased about his assignment, but Barnes was nothing if not a complainer. He was a good officer, but Brass felt he suffered from a bit of a superiority complex. If you asked him, he'd tell you he was the _only_ one who did any work around here.

Alex sat down in one of the office chairs and tried to stay awake. Nick looked at her, feeling a tug at his heart as he saw her yawn for the umpteenth time. She felt his stare and looked up him and smiled.

If nothing else good had come from the last 7 hours or so, at least she'd gotten to meet Nick. She felt lame even thinking it, but he had honestly been the one bright spot in this whole crappy night. He almost..._almost_... made everything that had happened seem not so bad after all.

Nick smiled back at her and once again felt the desire to wrap his arms around her and make it all go away. Feeling the familiar tightening in his stomach, he realized he was superfluous here now, but he didn't really want to go yet. He knew he had work to do though and decided he'd better get at it.

"Well..."

Alex looked back at him, expectantly.

"I better get over to the labs and get cracking on what we've got so far. The sooner we solve this..." He looked at Alex, his words trailing off.

She nodded at him and gave a small, almost regretful smile. At least he thought she looked regretful, although he admitted to himself that he was probably just hoping that was how she felt.

She felt a twinge, and knew she didn't really want him to leave yet. She also knew he was right. She wanted this to be all over, and the sooner the better. She hoped he was as good at his job as he seemed to be.

He started to speak again. "OK then. Go get some sleep. You've earned it tonight."

"Thanks, I will. At least, that's the plan..."

She didn't know what else to say, but she didn't want to stop talking, hoping that she could delay him just a little longer.

"Listen, Nick... Thanks for everything. I meant what I said earlier. You saved my life, and I don't think I'll ever be able to thank you enough... I mean...."

"Don't think about it right now, Alex. Just go get some sleep. I'm just happy we found you. Luck was on your side tonight, that's all. You've got some good karma working for you."

She smiled.

_Good karma? Yeah, that and a guardian angel named Nick Stokes_.

"Well, whatever it was, you still played a big roll in it. I owe you my life, and I'll never forget it. Thank you."

He shrugged and adopted his drawl once more. "Ah, shucks ma'am... 'Tweren't nuthin'."

They laughed together for a moment, each savouring the moment without the other realizing it.

Brass watched the interplay between the two and grinned to himself.

_There's more chemistry going on here than in the science labs on the other side of the building_.

The last time he'd had seen Nick acting _this_ awkwardly, he'd just been propositioned by an elderly con-artist in front of Brass and half the jail staff. Granted, that particular female hadn't been quite as attractive as Alex, and easily had about 50 years on her...

Nick backed towards the door, still watching her. He was finding it physically difficult to leave.

"OK. Sleep tight. I'll see you soon."

Her heart leapt at the thought. She hadn't been sure if she'd see him again, or if she'd just be dealing with Detective Brass and the regular police from here on out. The seeds of separation anxiety that had been steadily building inside her seemed to recede a bit.

"OK. See ya. And thanks again."

And with the tip of his imaginary hat, he was gone.


	7. Chapter 7

_**A.N.**_: Yeah, so guess who still isn't doing as much homework as she should be doing... ;)

(_spoilers here_) I probably should have mentioned earlier that, while I've heard that Greg is now officially a CSI, I haven't seen the last half of Season 4... I left North America around the episode where Grissom recommended Nick for the promotion (great episode!) but they haven't quite caught up yet down here in Australia (but we're getting closer!)... So if there seem to be any inconsistencies anywhere in the story, my apologies. Please blame my ignorance... and my tendency to present the characters the way I like them portrayed... ;)

* * *

Nick sat alone in the break room, the weight of everything that had happened in the hours before resting heavily on his mind. For a moment he felt overwhelmed: _I saved someone's life tonight_.

That alone was sending his mind for a spin. He'd encountered many things on the job before, but this was a big first for him. Like Brass had told Alex earlier, the CSI's didn't see too many live bodies around once they arrived at the crime scene. And to actually _save_ somebody... he gulped at the enormity of it all.

_Thank God we made it there on time_.

He felt his stomach drop at the thought of the alternative, but tried to shake it off. He'd done his job and Alex was OK.

_Now we just have to make sure she stays that way_.

Catherine and Greg entered the room talking, and Nick's thoughts broke off momentarily. He nodded at them as they entered. Greg gave him a two finger wave and continued talking.

"Well, all the evidence is crisp and clean... but we have nothing to compare it to." He looked disappointed.

Catherine also looked non-plussed. "Well, we'll have to wait and see what the neighbourhood canvassing turns up. Maybe we'll have a suspect by the time we get back in tonight."

Greg nodded and shrugged. "Well, I guess I'm outta here. See ya tonight." He headed back down the hallway and out of sight.

Catherine headed for the coffee maker.

"Oh,_ nice_. That's just so wrong. When was the last time this pot was cleaned?" She scrunched up her nose in distaste. "Ah, forget it. I'll hit the coffee shop on the way home."

Nick remained silent, and didn't even seem to notice that Catherine was still in the room.

"Nick?"

He slowly looked her way. "Hmmm?"

"Shift's about over... or are you heading over to the Bellagio to check out that parking voucher before you finish?"

"Yeah, I thought I might. We've got some decent evidence, but without a suspect..." He trailed off.

"Yeah, that sounds like a good plan." She paused.

Catherine looked at him and tried to decide whether or not now was a good time to talk. She decided she might as well get it over with.

"Listen, do you have a minute before you go? I wanted to talk to you about something."

Nick looked at her questioningly. "Shoot."

"Nick, I don't want to sound like I'm lecturing you, but..."

He could see where this was headed and grimaced. "Catherine, look..."

"No, Nick, please- just hear me out. I have the utmost respect for you, as a CSI, and well... as a guy in general. You've _gotta_ know that. I would trust you with my life. And because of that, I want to tell you something as a friend... Because I care about you, if for no other reason."

Nick eyed her warily, but waited patiently for her to continue. She took his silence as a cue to continue.

"It hasn't slipped my notice that there seems to be some... chemistry between you and Alex Winters. It's totally understandable, and I can't blame you, in all honesty. She seems nice. And I really want to see you happy, Nick. You deserve it. But all I want to say is, I think it would be for the best if you hold off from... anything more until the case is solved and filed, if only to protect yourself."

He started to look a bit incensed at this, but she kept going.

"I'm not saying you've done anything wrong. You _haven't_. It's just that, if any funny business comes up in court, and you know that's possible, it looks bad for the department, and could be detrimental to your position here."

Nick nodded and sighed out loud. "Trust me Cath, I _know_ all this. There's no way I'd jeopardize either the case or my own job."

Catherine smiled at him. "I know that. I really do. But that's what friends are for, Nicky... To be there to remind you of the things that you _already_ know." She grabbed his hand and gave it a quick squeeze.

Nick smiled and gave a small laugh. "OK. I'll be cool, don't worry." He squeezed her hand back before releasing it. "And I _do_ appreciate your concern, honestly. Thanks."

She patted his arm and turned to leave.

"Cath?"

She turned back to look at him, her brows raised in question.

"Remind me every once in a while not to take you for granted, OK?"

She smiled at him again. "Every day, darlin'. Every day."

She left the room and made her way down the hallway. Nick smiled to himself.

* * *

Officer Mark Barnes finally made his appearance in Brass's office, looking a tad petulant.

Once introduced to his charge however, Barnes seemed to _turn that frown upside down_, Brass thought to himself. Noting the small transformation, he shook his head. The man looked... what? The word _opportunistic_ came to mind. He wondered what was with the guys around here tonight.

_You'd think there were no other pretty girls in Vegas_.

Not that he didn't like Alex; she seemed to be a nice woman. She wasn't what he'd call stunning by any means, but there was something about her. He chalked it up to her easy-going attitude, which just kind of showed in her face, and her eyes. She exuded friendliness.

He sighed again.

_Whatever_. _There must be a full moon tonight_, _or the tides were high or something_.

Brass figured that maybe he was just too old to moon over women anymore. His ship had sailed years ago.

* * *

Later, as Alex stood in the shower hoping that the tension would ease out of her body like the water down the drain, she considered the last half hour with chagrin. The trip to the safe house with Officer Barnes had been, well... _interesting_.

A few times when she'd glanced over at him, she'd caught him grinning at her, which she was certain was meant to appear as friendliness. Instead of feeling comforted, she'd felt like the prey before the predator.

Barnes was very good looking. Tall and fit, with sandy blonde hair and sea-blue eyes that she'd had to admit she'd found entirely mesmerizing, she could imagine him as Mr. June or Mr. July on the annual policeman's calendar. Unfortunately in this case, she got the impression that he might be one of those guys who _knew _that he was hot. He seemed so unlike Nick.

She shook her head slightly as the comparison crossed her mind.

_Ah, who am I kidding? I barely even know Nick_._ He could be a total narcissistic womanizer for all I know_.

She found that she really couldn't bring herself to believe that though. Nick had seemed so nice... and _genuine_.

Barnes on the other hand, while friendly enough, just seemed to be a little bit _too much_. He seemed fairly intelligent- he was well spoken, and clearly he was well-educated, but...? His air of confidence went a bit beyond what she normally found attractive. And he seemed to think he knew... _everything_.

The drive had begun normally enough.

She thought it was nice how he took the time to explain the history of the LVPD safe houses, which apparently had been around since the days when the mafia had been still very active in Las Vegas. There'd been a lot of people placed in protective custody back then to prevent mob retaliation on individuals who'd provided condemning testimonials against them. Now, there were only 2 of the original 5 places left and they'd been used less and less in the intervening years, but the LVPD kept them active and in good shape for visiting associates or VIP's attending conferences. And occasionally they were used for their original purpose as well, like now.

That information had been at least mildly interesting to Alex, but it had all gone down hill from there.

Somehow they'd gotten onto the subject of sports, (Alex was sure she didn't initiate it, but she was so tired by this point she wasn't sure of anything anymore) and Barnes had run through a list of his many achievements in the realm of athletic prowess.

Alex normally enjoyed sports, and played a little 'fun-league' baseball and volleyball herself, but after hearing him blame a constant knee injury for losing this or that game for the second or third time, she tried to change the subject.

"So, are you from Las Vegas originally, Officer Barnes?"

He took the bait. "Nope. I'm from North Dakota. Close to the Canadian border... up where you're from."

Alex had asked him how he'd known that, and then she'd realized that he'd probably been shown her file; her name, address, occupation, etc., were all at his fingertips.

He'd given her a knowing look though, and said "I'm a cop. We _know_ things."

She had waited for him to laugh at the joke, but it hadn't come. Realizing he was serious, she had stared out the window at the passing scenery, and tried not to laugh in his face.

Alex found it hard to relate to people with no sense of humour, and she had slowly come to the conclusion that Barnes was definitely lacking in the comedy department. But she'd figured it probably wasn't a good idea to alienate the people that were trying to protect you, and so she stuck to _hmmm_-ing and _ahhhhh_-ing at what she'd hoped were the appropriate places during his diatribe.

Mostly not hearing what he was actually saying, she'd stared out the windshield trying to figure out where they were, and hoping that they'd get there soon.

* * *

Stepping out of the shower, Alex wiped the mist from the mirror and contemplated her freshly scrubbed face. Trying to ignore the bandage on her forehead, she decided that she looked decidedly better than before, if a little tired and red-rimmed around the eyes.

When she'd first seen her reflection after arriving at the safe house, she'd felt a little embarrassed to realize she'd spent the whole evening walking around with dirty smudge marks all over her face. She wished she'd known earlier and had made an effort to clean herself up a bit... say, sometime shortly after Nick had saved her life...

_Oh well_._ Such is life_.

She touched the bandage on her arm, as if to remind herself of what had happened last night. She had far bigger concerns to worry about right now.

She threw a towel over her pillow to soak up some of the dampness from her wet hair, which she was too tired to bother drying. She climbed under the covers and closed her eyes.

After about a minute, she felt an overwhelming rush of vulnerability invade her mind. Feeling too exposed with just her bare skin and nothing else between her and the sheets, she got back up and pulled a pair of jeans and a t-shirt out of her suitcase. Pulling them on, she climbed back under the sheets and pulled the covers up to her neck.

Feeling a little better, she considered her situation. As unappealing as she found Officer Barnes, she was glad to know that he was sitting outside the place right now in his unmarked car. Nick was right: she would be safe here.

As she lay there worrying that she'd never be able to sleep, an image of Nick's face floated across her mind, and she was unconsciously smiling as she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

* * *

Jerking awake, Alex sat up in bed and looked around the room in panic. _Where the hell_...?

It took her a few more seconds to remember where she was. She felt immobilzed for a moment as it all came flooding back to her. The room was dark, with only a small row of windows with dark blinds running just below the ceiling, along the entire length of the room.

She hadn't plugged in the alarm clock before she went to sleep, and she had no idea of the time. She clenched her hands to her eyes and tried to fight back a sudden unexpected swell of emotion, and the tears that were threatening to come with it. She couldn't stop seem to herself though, and she started to sob out loud.

Feeling like she was 5 years old again, she simply gave up trying to hold back the tears and let them flow. She turned her face into her pillow and bawled.

A little while later, as the tears finally began to wane, she began to feel a new emotion take hold: _anger_. Still sniffling, she climbed out of bed and reached for some tissues off the dresser. She looked at her swollen, puffy eyes in the dresser mirror and grimaced.

_Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck_.

She blew her nose loudly.

_Fuck_! _This is all just so fucking unfair_.

Why was this happening to her? Why?

A sudden rapping at the front door caught her attention and she tried to pull herself together.

_Fuck_.

She went to the bathroom and splashed some cool water into her sore eyes. She moved towards the door, and the knocking started again. She heard Barnes calling out, his voice muffled through the door.

"Miss Winters? Hello?"

She felt a stubborn streak for an instant, and felt like ignoring him. She realized that she was just being childish, and answered through the door. "Yes?"

"Sorry if I woke you, miss. It's Officer Barnes. I need to introduce you to my shift replacement."

_Already_? _What the hell time is it?_

She unlocked the door and opened it to see Barnes and a younger looking man with a pleasant face. She held the door open for them and they entered. She didn't know what to say, so she nodded. "Hi."

The younger officer smiled.

"Hi. James Shelley. Nice to meet you... Are you OK?" He asked, looking at her red eyes.

"Um yeah. I just woke up, and... I think my allergies must be kicking in."

Barnes nodded and seemed to buy it, but Officer Shelley didn't look convinced. He gave her a rueful smile and she was relieved when she realized he wasn't going to make an issue of it.

"Officer Shelley will be here until next shift starts at 11pm."

Alex still felt a bit confused. "Sorry, what time is it?"

"3:25 pm. I hope you had a good sleep." Barnes looked at her, putting on his charming smile. "Well, I have to go, but I'll be seeing you in a few shifts." More smiling.

Alex tried to smile back. "Thanks Officer Barnes. I appreciate your time."

"Just doing my job. See ya later."

He turned, walked outside and headed for his car. Alex was surprised to find she was almost sorry to see him go, but she knew she'd get over it.

Officer Shelley looked at her expectantly. "I brought these... you must be starving by now." He held up a handful of take-out menus.

She stared at them for a second, trying to process what she was seeing... _Am I hungry_?

As if on cue, her stomach growled and Officer Shelley laughed. She felt a moment of embarrassment, but felt it pass at an amused but kind look and a comment from him.

"The stomach has spoken."

She laughed and felt a bit of relief that her new 'bodyguard' seemed a little more her style. He smiled at her and waved the menus at her again.

"What'll it be?"

* * *

Archie sat in front of the video monitor and pressed play on the parking garage tape. Nick and Brass stood watching the footage from behind him. Archie grinned.

"I'm always amused when I'm told to spot _the black luxury car_. There are hardly any of those in Vegas."

Brass smiled and agreed. "Hey man, it's all we've got. Just humour us."

Nick watched the screen intently, looking for the right type of car. "You sure the guy knew what he saw?"

"He's a mechanic at a high-end car rental place, so I'm confident he knows his stuff. Plus, I doubt you'd see too many Jaguars in that neighbourhhod. Especially more than once, as this guy mentioned. More like Toyotas and Audis... mini-vans and station wagons. The place is 'soccer-mom' central."

Nick laughed and nodded. "Yeah, I'd think an _XKR_ would probably stand out then."

It wasn't much, but it was something. He'd get Greg to do a check on local Jags and see what surfaced. Now all they had to do was to try and track one down in the parking lot of the Bellagio. The parking ticket had been date specific at least, so that narrowed down their tape viewing somewhat.

He only hoped that the parking stub and the car were actually linked. He crossed his fingers that the intruder had actually been the one to drop it in Alex's condo.

Archie started scanning. "It's nice of them to have a camera pointed directly on the valet. That should make things move a little quicker. We can see all the cars that go through close up. This is surprisingly bad quality for such a high-end hotel, though. I think these guys must be reusing tapes over and over again."

They watched the somewhat fuzzy, sped-up footage for about 15 minutes before Nick caught a glimpse of a car that seemed to fit the description. "Whoh. Go back there a bit, Arch."

He watched as the fast rewind blurred the screen in front of them, and then the screen stopped on the black Jaguar. Archie pressed play and they watched the scene expectantly.

The car stopped in front of the valet booth, and a tall brunette woman got out of the car, barely glancing at the valet as she handed him the keys and accepted her parking stub.

Archie whistled appreciatively. "Those are some nice legs."

Brass asked him to rewind it again, and smirked down at Archie. "And not just so we can see her legs again."

Archie chuckled and rewound the scene. They watched it once more and then Nick commented.

"We can't see the license plate number at this angle." He looked over at the table where several other videos lay. "Maybe we can see where it was parked and find the plate number on one of the other surveillance camera tapes. They cover the whole garage from different angles."

He had another thought. "They're probably not that common, but maybe you should run through the rest of this tape and see if there are any other Jags entering the lot that night."

Archie nodded. "I'll get on it. I'll page you when I've got something."

Nick left the video lab feeling a lot more hopeful than he had that morning. He hoped this panned out and wasn't just a coincidence.

Brass caught up to him. "What's the plan, Stan?"

"Well, I was thinking I'd take a last look through Alex's place and see if there's anything at all that we missed. Just in case."

Brass nodded. "Nothing wrong with being thorough. I'll tag along, watch your back."

"Cool. Meet you there. I'm just going to check in with Catherine and Sara before I head out."

He walked towards the other labs, catching Catherine as she exited from Trace.

"Hey there. Any luck with the tapes? Did you find the Jag?"

"Maybe, just _maybe_ we might have something. Archie's checking it out right now. Have you seen Greg?"

"Yep. He's running the DNA from the semen sample through CODIS again. He believes in being thorough."

"Or he has nothing else to do right now. I need him to start checking out Jaguar registrations."

"I'm sure he'll be keen for something to do."

"Yeah, probably. So, how about you? Come up with anything?"

"_Irish Setter_." She calmly stated.

Nick raised his eyebrows questioningly. "Irish Setter? You mean the hairs you found?"

She nodded. "Not exactly the most common dog in Vegas. Not totally out of the ordinary either, but still..."

"This is looking better all the time. So we may be looking for a guy with a Jaguar and an Irish Setter. Can't be too many guys like that around, you think?"

"Can't say I've noticed any in my social circles."

Nick laughed and then looked over her shoulder and nodded at Sara Sidle, who approached from behind Catherine. "Sidle.'

She continued with the mock formality. "Stokes. Willows. What's the story?"

They discussed what they had so far. Sara had just spoken to Greg who'd checked all the fingerprints and found they all matched Alex. So the perp had been wearing gloves.

_No surprise there_, thought Nick. _Good work anyway, Greg_. He was taking his work seriously, and Nick felt a bit proud of him.

Catherine made like she was ready to go. "I'm going to go hit the local dog registries and see what I can find. I'll get Greg on those car records. Archie has the details?"

"Yep. Thanks Catherine" He suddenly realized he should go talk to Alex about the couple of clues they'd linked up. Maybe she knew someone who fit the picture. He looked at Sara.

"Sara, are you working on anything at the moment?"

"Nope. Whatcha need?"

"Well, I was going to meet Brass at Alex's condo for another run-through, but I think I need to go ask her about what we've found. See if she knows anyone who might match up. Brass will meet you there- he's on his way to her place right now."

He waited for her to make a teasing comment, but it didn't happen.

"No problem. I'll let you know if anything else turns up."

He smiled at her. "Thanks Sar."

She patted his shoulder as she walked past him towards the parking lot.

Nick called Brass and let him know the change of plan. Brass gave him the address of the safe house and promised to call ahead and warn the Officer on duty that he'd be coming.

He felt a strange fluttering in his stomach as he climbed behind the wheel of his Denali and started up the engine. He looked in the rearview mirror to the seat where Alex had been asleep last night and smiled.

After his shift had ended that morning, he'd tried to keep busy so that he wouldn't think about her, but he'd mostly failed miserably. As he'd been buying groceries, he'd found himself wondering if she had food at the safe house. Then, as he'd squinted in the sunshine as he'd walked towards his front door, he'd hoped there were curtains in her bedroom so she'd be able to sleep more easily.

Even when he finally laid down to sleep, he couldn't get her off his mind. He'd finally fallen asleep, but he'd had a lot of strange dreams, none of which he could remember now.

As he prepared to pull out of the lot, he checked his watch. Just after midnight. _Damn_.

He hoped he wasn't waking her up.

* * *

Alex sat on the sofa in the living room, watching Letterman.

Her new guardian was a female officer by the name of Officer Collins. Sitting outside in her car, she was nice but very quiet and business-like. It seemed every new officer was going to be a new personality type. Maybe she could make a guessing game out of it...

Shelley had been her favourite so far though, eating Chinese food with her and laughing while he kept his gaze peeled out the front for any unusal activity. He'd looked about 16 years old, with freckles on his nose and a bit of a goofy grin.

She'd found it amusing when he'd tried to assume a professional air as he'd explained that since the back of the house was about half a foot away from an apartment building behind it, they didn't have to worry about it, so one officer on duty would suffice. The sides of the house were similarly located close to the homes on either side, and they were confident no one could slip through the spaces between the buildings without first removing his spine.

As secure as she'd been feeling since she'd gotten over her meltdown earlier that day, Alex had felt safer still after she'd learned this.

She yawned, but didn't feel like going to bed yet. Letterman's guests were decidedly '_B_' list tonight, so she flicked through the channels, hoping for something more stimulating. She stopped on the Discovery Channel and smiled.

_I wonder what Nick's up to right now_...?

Well, he was probably working, she thought. She still wondered what he was concentrating on at the moment.

She thought back to his quick smile and leaned back into the sofa. She wished she could see him again. She wondered if they'd come up with anything yet.

Alex tried to oncentrate on the Discovery program on right now. "_Iceman_: _Hunt For A Killer_".

_Hmmm_. _Could be_ _interesting_.

She snuggled into the cushions and put her feet up on the coffee table. She hadn't watched more than 10 minutes before a knock at the door startled her.

"Miss Winters? There's a CSI here to see you."

Alex's heart began to race.

_Nick_?

She moved to the door and looked through the peep hole. Sure enough, the good looking Texan stood outside the door. She tried to relax as she felt her face heat up.

"Uh, just a minute." She called through the door.

She tried to fan her face, hoping she didn't look too flushed.

_Jeeze, what is wrong with me_?

Then she giggled nervously to herself.

_Must be the hot guy outside my door_...

She tried to assume a relaxed pose and worked to keep her smile easy and natural. Feeling that she was as close as she was going to get to calm, she unlocked the door and opened it.

Nick looked at her and smiled, and she felt her composure deserting her again. She fumbled to gain her self-control and smiled back shyly.

"Hi. I didn't think I'd be seeing you again so soon."

"Yeah... I'm glad I didn't wake you." He gestured at the TV.

"I'm a bit of a night owl. And I slept until about 3 today, so I think my sleeping schedule is a little out of kilter."

She moved toward the living room and offered him a seat. He sat down in a chair facing her.

"How are you holding up? Did you sleep OK?"

Man, the way he looked at her... those concerned brown eyes... It was almost all she could do to focus on his words.

"Oh. Yeah- I slept like the dead."

She winced at the poorly chosen expression, and he grinned sympathetically at her but said nothing. "Um, I mean... I pretty much fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. I don't think I even dreamed."

"That's good. You needed it." He looked at her intently again. "How are you doing?"

She smiled and tried to forget her mini-breakdown when she'd woken up that day. "I'm good. Really, Nick. I'll be alright."

He watched her closely, as if searching for signs that she wasn't telling him the truth. She tried once more to convince him that she was.

"I do feel safe here, Nick. You were right. I'm glad you convinced me to come here."

She smiled genuinely at him and he gave in, believing her. His heart had started to speed up at her smile.

_She has no idea what she's doing to me_. _Man oh man_. _Focus_... _Focus_...

"I'm glad. You _are_ safe here."

"How long do you think it'll be until I can go back to my place?"

"Well, Sara's giving it another sweep right now, but barring something major, we should be finished in there by, say the day after tomorrow I'm guessing."

"Hmmm. I guess that's not so bad. And it's not like this place is so terrible. I guess I just feel a bit..."

"Isolated?" He asked, and she nodded.

He smiled. "I think that's probably the point, actually."

She laughed and nodded. "Yeah, no doubt. Anyway, it's no big deal. I can hack it out for a few more days."

He smiled at her again. The lighting in here was dimmed, but he could have sworn she was blushing. He was sure it was just his imagination. He decided to get on with his reason for being here.

"Alex, we've come up with a few things, and I wanted to run some stuff by you."

She nodded and looked at him questioningly.

"Do you know anyone who drives a black Jaguar, or who owns an Irish Setter?"

She looked surprised at the question. "A black Jaguar and an Irish Setter? No, I can't say that I do." She continued to look at him quizzically. "Can I ask where you came up with that?"

"We found a parking stub in your living room, and some red hairs that turned out to be from an Irish Setter. And one of your neighbours reported seeing a black Jag driving slowly down your street a few times over the last week or so. Have you noticed it at all?"

She shook her head no. She hadn't seen anything like that, but then again, she rarely paid attention to her surroundings when she was walking home. She usually had her walkman on, and was in another world.

"Hmmm. Well anyway, we're following it up and hopefully we'll come up with something solid." The big easy smile again. "Keep your fingers crossed."

Crossing her fingers was suddenly the last thing on her mind as she found herself caught up in his brilliant smile yet again. Biting her tongue, she asked, "Um, anything else? What else can I do?"

"You can finish watching your program and then get some sleep."

She laughed. "OK. Thanks _Dad_."

He laughed with her, and then he stood to go. She felt a little depressed at the thought that he was leaving again, but hid it behind her smile. "Well, it was great to see you again. I'm sorry I couldn't be more help."

He shrugged lightly. "Don't worry about it. It was a bit of a long shot anyway. I was hoping it would trigger a memory or something just based on the weirdness of the combination, but whatever. Anyway..."

He didn't really want to go yet, but couldn't think of anything else to say.

She stared back at him awkwardly, trying to freeze his legs in place by sheer willpower. He turned towards the door and her heart sank some more.

_Oh Nick, I really wish you'd stay_...

He turned back around to look at her and she felt her blood freeze in her veins.

_Oh my God_... _Did I just say that out loud_?!!!

But Nick only pointed in the direction of the kitchen and asked, "Is there anything I can pick up for you? I could easily bring it by after my shift ends in the morning. Maybe some coffee or something...?" He rushed on to prevent it from sounding like a breakfast date. "I mean, do you have any food here?"

Feeling a sense of relief at not being caught out, Alex shrugged. "I had take-out for supper, and I still have some left over..."

"Hmmm. Not what I'd call a nutritional breakfast. How about I bring you some bread and butter and... um, supplies in the morning?"

She smiled her appreciation. "That'd be great. Thanks so much."

"Not a problem. Do you need anything else?"

She racked her brain, but couldn't think of anything. Then she felt another slow blush creep across her face and she laughed nervously.

He looked back at her smiling. "What?"

"Well... I could use some underwear, but I don't think you can help me there...?" She grinned sheepishly again and he laughed.

"Well, I could, but I'm not sure you'd like my selections..."

Visions of slinky white lacey things suddenly ran through his mind and he thought he might be blushing himself. He decided to get out of here before he made a complete fool of himself.

"Um, I guess I'd better get going. Uh, if nothing gets in the way work-wise, expect me around 8:30 or 9 am... Is that too early?"

_I'd stay up all night if it meant seeing you_, Nick...

"No, that's perfect. I'll see you then. If nothing comes up."

"Here's hoping." He flashed the bright smile and she fought back a sigh. She was beginning to feel positively Victorian. Next thing she knew, she'd be swooning and getting the '_vapors_' whenever he smiled at her.

She watched him walk to the door and caught herself checking out his backside and looked away quickly.

_Man_, _do that again and you may be swooning for real_,_ Alex_, she thought to herself as she tried to remove the image of his very appealing contours from her mind. _Keep it together_!

He opened the door and looked back at her. "See you tomorrow."

She nodded back at him, not feeling too confident in her capacity for speech at the moment.

He started to head out the door and then turned back around to face her again. "Oh, and it was good to see you again, _too_. Really good." He flashed her another big smile and then disappeared out the door.

Alex stood where she was for what seemed like forever, trying to convince herself that that hadn't been flirting.

_Was he just_..._ flirting with me?_

She tried to shake it off.

_No_._ No way_. _Get your head on straight, Winters_. _He was just being polite_..._ a good Texan_.

She swallowed hard and made her way back to the sofa.

_So_ h_ow am I supposed to get to sleep now_?

* * *

****

****

**_A.N._**(Again!): Whew! Another long one. Sorry about that. Seriously guys, let me know if I'm getting carried away with the detail here. I'm enjoying the writing, but so do all authors, I'm sure. Let me know if I'm enjoying the look of my own writing too much! I don't want to bore you all with self- indulgence after such nice compliments!


	8. Chapter 8

Nick steered the Denali back toward the LVPD, giving himself a mental shake.

Less than 24 hours ago, he had been telling Catherine he'd keep it cool and professional, no problem. He'd never mess with a case. He sighed.

_And now you're pretty much flirting with a victim_. _Just great_, _man_... _you might as well just send the next Defence Attorney a list of your frat-house antics_.

All it took was 10 minutes with Alex and suddenly he was acting like a teenager.

He popped open his cell phone and dialled Sara. Hearing "Sidle" on the other end, he spoke. "Hey Sara. Did you find anything else?"

"Well no, but I've only been here for like, 30 minutes. Patience Nick, patience."

"Right. Yeah, sorry. OK, just let me know if anything turns up." He hung up.

He stopped at a light and his thoughts returned to forbidden territory. What was it about this girl that was getting to him?

He'd dated lots of women over the years, and he'd felt chemistry with more than a few of them, but somehow this was different. He felt something more this time, but what exactly classified as _more _was a mystery to him.

Was it just the rescuer/attachment thing? It had never actually happened to him before, so he couldn't be sure, but... was that really all it was? He was beginning to seriously doubt it. Alex was... _beguiling_.

She was undeniably cute, and her big brown eyes and big, generous smile seemed to draw him in every time he looked at her. She wasn't too tall, or too short; not too thin and definitely not fat... he started to grin at the parallels his thoughts were taking to _'Goldilocks and the Three Bears_.'

_Yeah, she's just right, alright_.

He suddenly realized this train of thought was getting him nowhere fast. It just wasn't possible right now, and that's all there was to it.

As the light turned green, he accelerated and made a mental decision: _Whatever it is_,_ that's it_. _No more_. _Don't screw this up, Stokes_. _People's lives are at stake, including yours_._ It's time to be a professional again_.

As he pulled into the parking lot, he felt a bit more like his old self again, despite a lingering sense of disappointment.

* * *

Catherine sighed. She'd gone through the dog registry for an hour, and there were no Irish Setters to be found. She'd have to start calling vets in the morning... a long, boring process at best.

_Overtime, here I come_.

Greg walked into the lab. "Catherine. You look displeased."

"That's the polite word for it. Tell me something to make it all better, Greg."

"Well, I've often thought_ you_ and _I'd _make a _great_..."

"_Greg_. The_ car_. Tell me who owns the car."

Greg grinned. "Oh yeah- _that_. Well, conveniently, there are only 3 registered Jaguar _XKR_ owners in Las Vegas."

"Fantastic. Who we got?"

Just then, Nick walked past the lab window, and Catherine called out to him. He backed up and entered the room.

"You have something?"

"Yeah. Well, I've come up with zilch, but Greg's got some names." They looked at Greg expectantly in unison.

"Right. We've got Paul DeMarco, Fabian Montopoulos and James Meadfield."

"That's a lot of '_M_'s'. Is that Paul DeMarco the casino owner?" Catherine queried.

"The one and only."

"He's gotta be at least 65 now, and not the most healthy guy if I recall correctly."

"You never know, Cath. These old guys can surprise you."

"Is that so Greg? And you would know this _how_?"

He looked uncomfortable, but managed to speak with an air of authority.

"I watch _'The Sopranos'_. It's practically real life."

Nick spoke up. "I've never heard of the other two, but James Meadfield sounds familiar..."

Catherine attempted to help out. "Well, there's a very wealthy James Meadfield who's responsible for a lot of the upgrading to the Las Vegas image over the last decade or so." She added her salient point. "Or there was... he's been dead for a couple of years."

Greg looked at his sheet. "Wait a sec. Correction. James Meadfield _the_ _Second_."

"Hmmm. That would make sense then. His _son_. So, how much do those Jags run anyway?" Catherine inquired.

"Probably around 65 to 70,000 dollars without extras, I'd guess." Nick guessed.

Greg nodded his head, thinking he was probably pretty close to the mark. Just then a pager went off, and they all glanced down at their pockets. It was Nick's.

"It's Archie. I'll be back." He headed down to the video lab.

"Hey man. Whatcha got?"

"Unfortunately, not much. I've cleaned up the images, but I can't fight the dark. The valet parked the car behind a post in the dark. There seems to be a light out in that section. _Convenient_. Take a look." Archie rolled the image and paused once the car was parked.

"The nose is sticking out past the post a bit, but the angle doesn't show the plate. Shit." Nick scratched his head. "OK. So then... Archie, can you print me off some copies of the woman who left the car. I'm going back to the Bellagio and talk to some of the valets. Maybe they'll recognize her."

Archie printed off three different images and handed them to Nick. "I know I'd remember her."

Nick grinned back at him. "I'll be sure to find out if she's single for you, Arch."

He left the lab and headed back towards Catherine and Greg.

* * *

Tossing and turning, Alex decided that even if Nick did show up in the morning, which she couldn't deny she was desperately hoping for, she'd look like absolute _shit_ from a lack of sleep. She couldn't shake the nervous energy that seemed to saturate her body.

_Man oh man_; _I think he was flirting with me_. _What does this mean_?

Then the negative response from her rationale side kicked in.

_No, no, no_. _You're over-reacting_. _He didn't mean anything by it_.

And then more tossing and turning. She looked over at the alarm clock. 3:19 am.

_Not good_. _You need sleep_. _Go to sleep_!

* * *

Sara returned to the lab just as Nick was returning from the Bellagio. "Hey there mister. You just getting back from seeing Alex Winters?" She looked at her watch, frowning: 6 am.

"_Hardly_, Sara. I went back to the Bellagio and talked to the valets." They entered the CSI section and headed towards the back labs. "Did you find anything new at the condo?"

"Nope. Just more of the same. She does have a decent CD collection though."

Nick laughed slightly. "Well, I figured there wouldn't be much, but it was worth a shot."

They entered the staff room to find Warrick complaining to Catherine.

"The thing is, Grissom should realize that other people just don't feel the same as he does about bugs. That shit's just _nasty_."

Catherine laughed. "Since when would it occur to Grissom that others don't always appreciate his dedication to science, in _all_ its forms?"

Warrick nodded. "Yeah, picture that. I just have to think about his many funky experiments in the staff fridge."

He inclined his head back towards the unfortunate appliance. Nick smiled, being all too familiar with that issue.

"So, did you have any luck, Nicky?" Catherine questioned.

"Sort of. A couple of the guys recognized the woman as a '_Mrs_. _Abbot_.' She apparently goes there once or twice a week regularly. She just started showing up in the Jag about a week or so ago though. She had a Lexus before that."

"'_Abbot_'? The names we have don't match up... maybe a girlfriend or mistress or something?"

"Yeah, who knows?"

"Well, hopefully _you_ will, before too long." Grissom commented, having caught the last comments as he entered the room. "How's it coming together?"

Nick gave him the breakdown so far and Grissom nodded. "Sounds good, guys. Good work- you're making progress."

"I'm thinking we may be doing some overtime on this one, Gris. We've got to question these guys and call some veterinarians during business hours."

Grissom just nodded. "I'll sign off on it; shouldn't be a problem: Sara's actually been behaving this month, so we haven't maxed out yet." He looked back at Warrick. "You ready to check out our friends, Warrick?"

Warrick grinned a bit mournfully and nodded. "Lead the way."

Catherine and Nick laughed as they heard Grissom admonishing the handsome CSI as they made their way down the hall.

"Jeeze Warrick, they're just maggots."

7 am arrived and the four CSI's gathered in the staff room. Brass made his appearance as they were laying out their game plan.

"I want to be in on questioning these guys if it's possible." Greg pointed to the list detailing the Jaguar _XKR _owners. "I could use the experience."

Nick nodded and looked at Brass. "You up for some O/T, Jim?"

Brass gave his usual casual smile. "I'm here to serve."

Catherine spoke up. "Well, I guess I'll get that list of vets together and check out some doggies."

Sara looked over at Catherine. "I can do that for you if you want, Catherine. I've been _jonesing_ for some overtime the last couple of weeks..." She broke off as the others smiled at her. "What?"

Nick just shook his head, grinning, but Catherine nodded to her happily. "Hey, I'm fine with that. I wasn't really relishing the idea as it was."

Nick started to contemplate leaving the lab and a solitary butterfly appeared in his stomach.

_Alex_...

He'd somehow managed to keep his mind off her for most of the night, but suddenly the thought of her returned full- force.

_OK_. _This is the moment of truth_.

He swallowed his true desire and turned to Brass. "I'll go with you guys to check these Jag owners out. Maybe one of them will recognize the woman from the video, and will hopefully admit to knowing her."

_There_, he thought. _I made my choice_.

Somehow he didn't feel any better though. In fact, he felt much worse, but decided there was no other course of action and he'd just have to live with it. Still, he'd promised Alex...

"Catherine?" He caught her before she started to head out. "You got a second?"

She nodded and hung back as Brass, Greg and Sara made their way from the room. Nick spoke to Brass as he passed by.

"I'll be out in a five, guys." Turning to Catherine, he felt better that they were alone for this. "Listen Cath..."

She waited patiently for him to continue. He ran his fingers through his short dark hair.

"When I saw Alex last night, I mentioned that if I finished work at a regular hour, I'd bring her by some supplies... bread, milk- that sort of thing. There's nothing in the house, so..."

"But now you're going with Brass, so you can't."

"Right. I was hoping... I know you probably need to get home to Lindsey..."

"I can go Nick, it's no problem. Lindsey's taken care of. I'm just surprised you aren't going yourself. Brass can handle the questioning without you."

Nick didn't know how to respond. He finally looked at her with a look of quiet resignation behind his eyes.

"I'm just... trying to do the right thing here, Cath."

Catherine simply nodded at him and pursed her lips in understanding.

"OK Nick. I understand. It's no problem for me to go by there. Just give me the address."

* * *

Alex dried her hair with the blow-dryer she'd conveniently located under the sink. She looked at the clock. 7:45 am. She felt a shiver of nervous anticipation, then, for the hundredth time, tried to smother it.

_He may not even be able to come_...

She was exhausted, having managed maybe 3 hours of sleep, if that. Her stomach was a mass of knots and she tried to calm herself down. What was wrong with her? She hadn't felt this giddy about a guy for years.

_This is ridiculous_. _Get a grip_.

She decided her emotions were probably all out of whack after what had happened the other night. She was just too tightly wound right now, that's all.

She was just finishing applying some mascara when there was a knock on the door, and then a familiar voice called out.

"Miss Winters? There's a CSI here to see you."

So Barnes was back. She hadn't realized they'd changed shifts already. She took a last look at her appearance in the mirror and decided it was going to have to do. She made her way to the door and hesitantly opened it.

Her heart seemed to shrivel in her chest.

"Miss... _Willows_, isn't it?"

"Yes, but call me Catherine." Catherine adjusted the grocery bag in her arms.

Alex tried to suppress the disappointment that suddenly welled up inside her. Why did she feel like she'd been... stood up?

_Jesus_,_ it's not like it was a date_.

Smiling at Catherine, she invited her in. "OK. Come on in."

Catherine had noted the quick hint of disappointment that had run across Alex's face before she'd carefully hidden it behind a welcoming smile. She felt slightly amused, as well as a bit torn... _poor Nicky_.

"Nick had to send his apologies because we got a lead on the case and he's chasing it up right now."

Alex's ears perked at this information. "Really? Can you tell me what it is?"

She led Catherine to the kitchen table and she placed the bag down. Seeing all the items that Catherine was pulling out, she smiled.

"Wow. That's a lot. Thanks so much." She started to stand up. "Let me just grab my wallet..."

"No, no. Not necessary. It's all compliments of the Las Vegas Police Department."

"Wow. OK then. Thanks"

"I brought you a couple magazines as well."

"That's awesome. Thanks. Ohhhh, Cosmo. I haven't read this in ages. Cool."

Alex pulled some bagels and cream cheese out of the bag and groaned appreciatively. "_Mmmmm_... sundried-tomato cream cheese. _Yummy_. Care to join me?"

Catherine pulled a jar of coffee from the bag, and some tea bags. "Don't mind if I do. Would you like coffee or tea?"

"Mmmm, tea please. Thanks."

Alex set to work on the toaster oven, and Catherine started the coffee and put some water in the electric kettle. They both stood back to admire their handiwork. Alex broke the silence.

"Well now. Aren't we domestic?"

Catherine smiled and took a seat at the kitchen table. Alex joined her.

"So, you said there was something new on my case?"

Catherine went through the details with her and smiled as Alex poured her some coffee and handed her a bagel and a knife. She seemed comfortable in the role of good hostess. Catherine brought the rest of the supplies out of the bag and Alex joined her. The two women munched companionably on their bagels.

Alex took a sip of her tea and questioned Catherine. "So, how old's your daughter? Lindsey, right?"

"Yep. She's turning 11 in about 3 weeks."

"Wow. That's cool. Does she look like you?"

"Yeah, pretty much. More blonde. Wait- I've got a picture here. She has her dad's eyes though." Catherine fished the picture out of her wallet.

"She's a cutie. She definitely looks like her mom." Catherine smiled her thanks.

Alex took another sip of her tea. "What does your husband do?"

"Well, he actually passed away a little over a year ago."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pried..."

"That's OK. And we were divorced actually." She shrugged and gave a bit of a wistful smile. "He was a bit of a loser, unfortunately... but he loved our daughter."

Alex nodded her sympathy to the woman across from her. "It must have been hard on her, at such a young age. Well, I suppose losing a parent would be hard at any age. Still..."

Catherine nodded. "It hasn't been easy on her, that's for sure. I try to help her to cope but, what can I do? She misses him."

She gave Alex a small grin. "I shouldn't be troubling you with this stuff. Sorry. I'm sure you have enough on your mind right now."

Alex shook her head. "No, please don't apologize. I asked you about her, remember? And anything to keep my mind off... things..." She grinned shyly at Catherine. "I just appreciate the company to be honest. It was nice of you to bring this stuff by, too. You didn't have to do that. I'm sure the officers would arrange for something if I asked. And I have lots of take out menus."

"It was no problem, really. Don't think twice about it. In fact, is there anything else you need? I know it's only been a day or so, but you must be feeling a bit cooped up in here... Can I bring you anything else?"

"Well, I can't imagine anything that I need that badly besides underwear, and that's not really something you can buy for someone else you hardly know."

They both laughed andAlex continued. "And anyway, Nick said I should be able to get back into my place soon..."

She felt herself blush a bit as she mentioned Nick. She hoped Catherine didn't notice, but knew it was unlikely. The woman was a Crime Scene Investigator, after all.

Catherine stood to leave. "Well, I should probably get going. It's been... nice."

She looked almost surprised, and Alex nodded.

"Yes it has. Thanks again for bringing all this stuff by. I really appreciate it."

Catherine pulled a card out of her wallet. "Listen, if you need anything just give me a call. My cell phone's on there at the bottom. Anytime."

Alex smiled at her appreciatively. "Thanks, that's really kind of you."

Catherine headed toward the door and Alex followed close behind her.

"Listen, Catherine... what do you... Do you think there's a chance you'll catch this guy?"

Catherine felt a bit of sympathy for the woman in front of her. She suddenly appeared much younger than her 30 years, and though she was clearly trying to appear nonchalant, Catherine could recognize the worry in her eyes. She tried to relieve some of her stress.

"Yeah, honestly I think there's a _good_ chance. I think we're on the right track. Don't worry Alex. It'll all work out."

She touched her lightly on the arm in an attempt to comfort her. "I'll keep you posted."

"Thanks. You've been so nice... _all_ of you have."

Catherine smiled warmly and said her goodbye.

Alex headed back to the kitchen and picked up her cup of tea. She couldn't stop the disappointment that suddenly reared its ugly head, now that her mind wasn't otherwise occupied. She frowned and then glanced at the Cosmo on the table. A headlining article stood out: _'How To Tell If He Really Wants You!_'

She shook her head, unable to keep herself from smiling bitterly at the irony.

* * *

This was a much longer chapter, but I decided to split it up a bit. That being the case, I should have the next one up pretty quickly, since it's mostly written already...


	9. Chapter 9

Brass, Greg and Nick walked up to the entry lobby of Turnberry Place. Brass whistled appreciatively.

"I bet I could afford to live here... if I was on the take, and had been for about _20 years_."

"It's pretty sweet, alright." Greg agreed.

They approached the man at the entry desk.

"Yes?" He smiled politely at them. There was no such thing as bad customer service in Vegas.

"We're here to see James Meadfield..." Brass flashed his badge. "I'm Detective Brass and this is Nick Stokes and Greg Sanders from the Crime Lab."

"James Meadfield _II_, you mean?"

Polite or not, this guy was clearly all about propriety. Brass smirked.

"The very same. Which unit does he have?"

"He's in Penthouse B... but he's not in residence at this time. As you may have noticed, most of the units are still being finished and Mr. Meadfield..."

"The _second_..." Brass interrupted him with a straight face. Nick turned his head away, smiling at Greg.

The concierge barely hesitated and continued. "_Yessss_. Anyway, he decided to do some personal renovations at the same time."

"Do you have any idea where he can be reached?" Brass probed.

The concierge smiled back and when he answered, his tone seemed a little too self-satisfied for Brass's liking.

"I would imagine he's at the family estate in Summerlin."

"Thanks pal."

The three men walked back to Nick's Denali, and Brass commented. "I don't think that guy knows the difference between '_friend_' and '_doorman_'."

Greg nodded. "Yeah, he sounded like he was bragging when he mentioned..." Greg stuck his nose in the air and assumed a superior tone ... "_the family estate_."

Nick laughed. "It's like being cool by association, huh Greg?" He winked at the younger man.

Greg smirked, "You _wish_, Nick. You wish."

Brass called the station for the Meadfield estate address as the Denali pulled away from the luxury building. They headed for Summerlin, passing through gradually more and more expensive neighbourhoods until they reached an exclusive neighbourhood on the water.

Brass shook his head as they approached the gate to the Meadfield mansion in mild amazement.

"Man, I'd like to rephrase my earlier comments. I'd _never_ be able to afford a place here and still be on _this_ side of the law."

Nick and Greg silently agreed. They buzzed the intercom and explained their intentions. As they drove through the gate and followed a long driveway up to the main house, Greg mused, _Man, what parties I would have if I lived here_...

As they walked towards the front door, it opened and a woman in a maid's uniform addressed them. "Follow me, please."

The three men did as they were told, and soon found themselves passing through a massive, high-ceilinged entry hall. The maid led them down a hallway to the left, and stopped before a massive oak door. She knocked lightly, and opened the door after hearing "_Let them in_, _Anne_." The maid held the door for them and then backed away.

Nick gulped at the mountain view from the windows directly across the room from him. _Wow_.

An elegant but austere woman rose from a divan and walked towards them.

"Detective Brass, was it?"

He nodded and introduced the other men. She nodded at them.

"Margaret Meadfield. What can I do for you, gentlemen?"

_Well, she's cutting right to the chase_, thought Nick. Following suit, he showed her the photograph of the Jaguar from the parking garage.

"Mrs. Meadfield, is this your son's car?"

She glanced at the still image from the video tape. "It may be. I can't be certain."

"Is your son here right now, ma'am?"

Mrs. Meadfield moved to the intercom and pressed a button. "Anne, can you locate my son and ask him to join us here, please."

Nick decided to take advantage of moment while they waited for her son, and showed her the other photo. "Do you recognize this woman with the car?"

She looked a bit annoyed and stared back at Nick.

"What's this all about? Has there been some sort of a _crime_ or something? I'm starting to think that maybe I should be calling our lawyer before we go any further..."

She was interrupted by a voice from the doorway.

"Now mother, don't start overreacting. I'm sure that's not necessary."

A tall, handsome man entered the room, smiling. He walked over to Nick, hand outstretched.

"I'm James Meadfield. What can I do for you, officer?"

Nick shook the proffered hand. "Actually, I'm not an officer; I'm a Crime Scene Analyst. Nick Stokes." Nick introduced his companions.

"Mr. Meadfield, can you identify either the woman or the car in this photo?" Nick showed him the image.

"Actually, I can identify both. That's _my_ Jag, and _that_'s my sister, Lauren. Where was this taken, might I ask?"

"It's from a surveillance tape in the parking garage of the Bellagio, taken last week."

Brass noticed a small scowl form on Mrs. Meadfield's mouth, but she quickly covered it.

James continued. "I see. So, what's this all about?"

His smile stayed in place. Brass noted that he looked a lot like his famous, late father, but he had his mother's eyes. The smile would have seemed more genuine if it had reached his eyes, but like his mother, it didn't.

Anne suddenly reappeared at the door and Margaret Meadfield left the room. Brass began to ask some more probing questions, in the vein of _where_'s and _when_'s and other relevant details

"Lauren and I have both been staying here for a number of weeks. She's separating from her philandering husband." He rolled his eyes, mockingly. "All the kids have returned to the roost, despite the fact that mother's well beyond her '_empty nest syndrome_' years. I'm sure it's all getting old for her fairly quickly." He laughed, not quite achieving the effect of self-deprecation that he'd intended.

"Where were you last Friday night?" Brass continued.

"Here. I worked until late... probably 9 pm_ish _and then I came home, worked out and went to bed. Why?"

Brass ignored his question. "Doesn't your sister have her own car, Mr. Meadfield?"

"Her Lexus broke down last week, so she's been borrowing my Jag intermittently. I told her that a Jaguar was the smarter buy, but you know women..." He smiled conspiratorially with the other men, ignoring their lack of response.

Brass pressed on, asking about the Jag's appearance in Alex's neighbourhood.

"I can't imagine why Lauren would be in that area. She does have a terrible sense of direction though, so I wouldn't be surprised if she got lost."

Brass nodded. _This guy was smooth_.

"The car was spotted in the neighbourhood on more than one occasion, however. Are you sure it wasn't _you_ driving by any chance?"

"Yes, I'm certain. I have no reason to be in that area either."

Not willing to show their hand, Brass decided not to ask Meadfield if he knew Alex Winters. Nick decided to jump in.

"Mr. Meadfield, is your sister here at the moment?"

James nodded his head. "No, I'm sorry she isn't here. She's picking up her Lexus from the mechanic."

Nick nodded. "I see. Well, would it be possible for us to take a look at your car? It wouldn't take long."

James smiled and opened his mouth, but this time it was _he_ that was interrupted by a voice from the doorway.

"Not without a warrant, I'm afraid. Gentlemen, I believe that will be all for today. Anne will show you out."

Margaret Meadfield smiled acerbically at them from the door, her arm gesturing towards the exit. James smiled at them with amused chagrin.

"Sorry guys. The boss has spoken." His mother ignored him, and stood to the side as they left the room.

The three men heard James Meadfield chastising his mother behind them as they approached the front door. "Mother, you're making a fuss over nothing. I don't care if they look at my car..."

As they climbed back into the Denali, Nick turned to Brass. "What do you think, Jim?"

Brass smirked. "_Limburger_. Something stinks, my friends."

Greg leaned up from the back seat. "What do you mean?"

Brass elaborated. "I think I just saw an impressive example of the famous police-issue _good cop/bad cop_ routine if ever I've seen one. And I _have_."

Nick nodded. "Yeah, I know what you mean. He was way, _way _too smooth. He also didn't seem overly concerned about why we were questioning him. And then his mother conveniently exits during his '_good guy_' routine, only to return just in time to cut us off at the knees."

"They had great timing, I'll give them that. It was a good act." He nodded to Nick as they pulled out onto the street. "Yep, I got a feeling about this one..."

Greg leaned back in his seat, commenting, "The old spider-sense kicking in, Brass?"

Brass laughed. "Yeah, maybe. _May_-be."

A short while later, as he walked back into the CSI labs, Nick considered their encounter with the Meadfields. Something was definitely up there, that was for sure.

Unfortunately, Nick acknowledged that they had very little evidence to back up their hunches at this point, and they'd most likely be facing off against some major league lawyer if they wanted to obtain any more.

Nick raised his head, his chin set firmly as he moved down the hallway.

_That's OK_;_ I like a challenge_. He grinned to himself.

_Bring it on_.

* * *

Alex flipped through one of the magazines and looked out the window longingly.

_Man, I wish I could get out of here_. _I want to go home_.

She considered the idea for a moment. _Home_.

There really wasn't much to go back to at the moment. Still, at least she could get started on cleaning up the mess, and trying to salvage what she could of her belongings.

She'd checked her voicemails earlier, and had realized that her friends had wondered about her absence Saturday night. The whole evening out had slipped her mind, understandably. She'd called Carrie and left her a return voicemail, explaining that something had come up unexpectedly, but she'd get in touch with her later in the week. There was no need to worry them, since there was nothing they could do.

She also called her parents in Vancouver, and wondered about the charges to the line, but decided it couldn't be helped. She talked to them for a while, but didn't mention what had happened. Again, there was no need to worry them. She'd tell them about it all... _later_.

_Ugh_. _Now what_?

Normally she wasn't a big phone talker, but right now she'd give her eye teeth for someone to call. Or internet access... even better. She felt a momentary sinking feeling, as she remembered her destroyed laptop.

_Never mind_, _it doesn't matter_.

She checked the clock for about the 20th time that morning. Not quite 11 am. The day was dragging on and she was beginning to lose hope that it would ever end. She was hoping they'd let her back in her place by tomorrow if luck went her way.

There was a knock at the door and she heard Barnes calling to her.

"Miss Winters?"

Alex went to the door, realizing she'd never asked Barnes to just call her '_Alex_'. Strangely, she still didn't feel the need to correct him. She opened the door to find him looking particularly cheery.

"Officer Barnes. How are you doing today?"

He smiled his most charming smile at her and replied. "Excellent. Couldn't be better."

She smiled back, trying to be polite, but when he continued to stand there for a few moments saying nothing, she began to feel uncomfortable. "Was there something you wanted?"

He seemed to realize he'd forgotten to ask his question, but he clearly decided to pretend it had been intentional.

"Yes, actually. It's getting closer to lunch time and I was wondering if you'd like to order something. We could share something."

He looked at her with the vaguest hint of suggestion behind his glance, but she chose to disregard it. She considered her options: Catherine had brought her some microwaveable fish dinners (and she'd been impressed at the woman's memory)... or she could have lunch with Barnes... and his _conversation_.

_Ah, decisions, decisions_... _frozen fish it is_!

"Oh, that's nice of you officer, but I've actually got some dinners that I can microwave now, so..." He still looked at her intently, so she added, "And I'm a vegetarian."

Although it was only a half-truth in reality, since she did indeed eat fish, she hoped it would deter him from pursuing his lunch plans any further.

His smile did slip momentarily, but he seemed to recover himself and began to reply.

"Well, that's no..." He stopped and turned warily at the sound of an approaching vehicle. An SUV stopped in front of the house and Alex's heart began to pitter-patter as Nick climbed out and headed across the lawn towards them.

On the drive over, Nick had convinced himself that there was no way he could avoid seeing her if he was to continue doing his job properly. And he had a photo of James Meadfield II that he'd pulled off the internet to show her. He was here on business. Nothing else.

Even so, he felt first a sense of relief, and then a tremor of pleasure when he saw her on the front step talking to an officer. He couldn't deny it: He'd actually missed her.

Keeping his eyes on her as he approached, he realized he'd never known how attractive a plain white t-shirt and a pair of loose fitting jeans could look. He found himself smiling uncontrollably by the time he finally reached her.

The smile almost slipped though as he noticed who the cop was beside her.

_Mark Barnes_. _Hmmm_.

The guy was a doofus at the best of times, and a conceited, womanizing jerk the rest of the time. He turned to look back at Alex, and his pulse quickened. She was giving him that smile... Something about it made him feel like Barnes wasn't even there; like they were the only two people for miles around.

Unfortunately, Barnes re-introduced his presence.

"Stokes." Barnes nodded his head in one small movement and was almost, but not quite, unfriendly. Alex thought this might be the most business-like she'd ever seen the officer. Nick nodded back.

"Hey, Barnes. How's it going?"

Barnes nodded perfunctorily again and replied. "Fine. Just fine."

Alex decided to break up the love fest and caught Nick's eye, and nodded her head towards the inside of the house.

"Did you want to come in, Ni... Mr. Stokes?"

He smiled in understanding at her use of his last name and nodded his agreement. She closed the door behind him as he entered, noting Barnes' dour look on the other side just before it shut completely. She led him into the kitchen.

"Is it just me, or was there a sudden chill in the air just then?" She half-smiled and Nick chuckled.

"Ah, he's just a sore loser, that's all. He plays for one of the dayshift baseball teams, and our nightshift team always kicks their asses. The guy takes the whole thing too seriously. It's just a game."

Alex laughed and ventured, "Mm hmmm... Yeah, I'm sure it's just a game... as long as _you're_ winning."

He laughed out loud and flashed her that million-dollar smile again. "You may be on to something there."

"Can I get you something to drink? Or food? I actually have food now." She smiled happily and he grinned.

"Ah, Catherine came through. Sorry I couldn't make it earlier."

"No problem. I'm all hooked up now. Thanks for arranging that."

"Hey, it was nothing. Catherine did all the work." He smiled easily at her. "And, yes, a water would be great. I just scarfed down some food on the way here... a hot dog and a donut."

She smirked. "Wasn't it you who _just_ last night questioned the nutritional value of my leftovers?"

He laughed again, and then tried to look serious as he replied.

"No. I think you must be mistaken." She laughed and he continued. "Besides, I'm a firm follower of the '_do as I say and not as I do_' philosophy."

She groaned and laughed at him. "Man, you sound like my _dad_!"

She poured him some water and sat down across the table from him. While he sipped, she decided to take the initiative.

"So, did you get lucky?"

He paused in his sipping. "Sorry?"

She felt a moment of embarrassment as she realized how that had sounded, and she tripped over her words a bit attempting to explain.

"I mean, with the... Catherine said you had a lead?"

"Oh, right. Sorry, the _case_."

_Oh man_. _What did you think she meant_?

"Actually, we might have, and that's why I'm here."

He pulled out the picture of Meadfield and showed it to her. "Do you recognize this man?"

Alex looked at the picture and felt a moment of surprise. "Actually _yeah_. Yeah, I do. I mean, I don't know his name or anything, but I've spoken to him a few times... He goes to the same coffee shop as me."

Nick felt a quiver of excitement.

_Finally_. _Things are starting to connect_.

"So, how did you meet him exactly?"

"Hmmm. I'm not entirely sure... I think we were just in line one day and he started speaking to me... like '_nice weather_' or something. Then we kept running into each other there. I guess we had the same routine or something... I usually went there in the morning for tea before class started."

"What coffee shop is this?"

"It's called '_Harriet's_'. It's close to UNLV. Or at least the end where most of my classes are. I think it's off... Harmon street? Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's it."

"Did these conversations ever lead to... well, _anything_ else? Did he ever ask you out?"

Nick felt a pang of discomfort at the question, and Alex felt equally uncomfortable, but she knew he had to ask.

"No. I mean, he seemed, well..."

_What_? She couldn't really describe what he seemed. "..._extra friendly_. I guess. But he never actually asked me out."

Nick nodded and looked as though he might speak, but Alex added, "I wouldn't have gone out with him though."

Then she blushed. Nick couldn't help but smile at the sudden declaration. She attempted to clarify.

"He just... I don't know. There was something about him that I didn't quite like. A little too self-assured maybe? I mean, he's really good looking and everything but..."

She blushed again and felt like she was making things worse. "I don't know. Something about him just turned me off, I guess. I can't put my finger on it."

Nick nodded. Having met the guy, he knew exactly what she meant. There was just _something_ about the guy...

"Do you remember when the last time you saw him was?"

"Yeah... last week... Tuesday? No wait- it was Wednesday. Wednesday morning around 7:30."

Nick nodded and seemd to be adding things up in his mind. Alex broke into his thoughts. "So, do you think _he_ was the guy who...?"

Nick sort of shrugged ambiguously and admitted, "At this point we're still just following up some leads; we don't have any conclusive evidence yet."

He saw her look of discouragement, and tried to lift her spirits. "But listen, this has all been really helpful information. We're definitely making headway. Cross your fingers."

She smiled a bit. "Well, that's something then. Thanks Nick. Oh- do you think I'll be able to get back into my place soon? Like, say, _tomorrow_?"

She looked so hopeful that for a moment he wanted to tell her whatever she wanted to hear.

"I'm not certain, but I think we're done with your condo. I'll check it out tonight, and I'll definitely let you know tomorrow. OK?"

He smiled encouragingly, and she couldn't help but agree. "OK. Thanks."

He stood up and placed his glass in the sink. "Well, I suppose I better get going..."

_Ah, this again_, he thought. Once again, he was sad to leave her.

She felt the same, as usual, but then remembered something.

"Oh, I forgot to give you back your jacket. It's by the door."

He followed her to the entry hall. She reached up to pull the jacket from a tall coat-tree, but it snagged on the hook, and she had to stretch up on her tip-toes to try and dislodge it.

As she did, her t-shirt raised slightly, revealing a swath of her barely-tanned skin. Her jeans rested attractively low, and with her t-shirt raised, he could _just_ make out the line of her hip bone starting... suddenly Nick started to imagine what lay below this low-riding waist band, and he felt his fingers twitching, as though they desperately wanted to touch her. He felt his blood warming up...

She finally freed the inner tag of the jacket that was caught on the hook and turned around with it in her hands. He had managed to turn his gaze away from her just before she'd faced him, hoping to avoid alarming her with what he could only assume would be hunger blazing in his eyes.

_Damn, I want her_. _And it's just getting worse_.

She walked towards him and handed him the jacket. "Here you go." She thought she caught a funny look in his eye, but it passed. "Thanks for the loan."

He didn't want to attempt speech for a moment and she added, "Well, I guess I'll talk to you tomorrow? Hopefully I can go home?"

He finally found his voice.

"I'll see what I can do. And don't worry Alex. This will all be over soon."

She looked up him, surprised at the tone in his voice. He'd sounded so _warm_.

_Like a friend_, she told herself. _Nothing more_.

She felt a little dejected at the thought, but carried on.

"Thanks Nick. You've been... _great_. Really."

_Wow_. _Way to understate it_.

She blushed yet again and felt annoyed with herself.

_I really need to get over this_. _I act like a moron whenever I see him_. _He must think I'm an idiot_...

Nick grabbed the handle and opened the door. Looking at her one more time, his smile sprang unbidden again.

"I'll definitely talk to you tomorrow Alex. See ya."

She smiled back and he decided to get out of there quickly. His heart couldn't take much more of this today. Not to mention...

_OK, I'm going to check out this coffee place, then it's home for a shower_. _A _cold _shower_...


	10. Chapter 10

**_A.N_: **OK, I'm starting to get to the meat here and things are cooking now... I'm starting to think I should have made this _just_ a drama... _nah_! Sexual tension and flirtation are great devices, don't you think? Sorry friends, but I'll be stringing you on for a little while longer... :)

* * *

Catherine was walking out of the locker room when she ran into Nick.

"Hey there, handsome. Ready to fight the good fight?"

He smiled at her and nodded. "Yeah I've got some new information. I showed Alex..."

"Alex? You saw her."

He looked uncomfortable for a moment, like he was preparing for an argument. Catherine quickly cut him off.

"No, Nick, it's cool. I'm actually glad you made it over. Alex seemed a little disappointed this morning when she opened the door and saw me standing there."

Nick felt a rush of excitement run through his veins, but tried to cover it.

"Cath, I'm sure she wasn't disappointed to see you."

Catherine had seen the tiny twitch in his composure though, and smiled.

"You know what I'm talking about, Nicky." She grinned mischievously at him. He chuckled a little and looked at the ground, shaking his head. She continued.

"And besides, nobody but the bad guys would ever be disappointed to see me. I'm _way_ too fabulous."

Her cheeky grin triggered his laughter and he agreed. "That you are, Cath. That you are."

Then it occurred to him what she was implying with this discussion.

"So, what about being worried." He questioned.

"What, me worry? I'm never worried."

"But you _were_ worried. About me."

"Yeah, well... I'm not anymore. You know what you're doing."

He smiled at her. "Thanks Catherine. That means a lot to me. Especially from you."

Catherine continued to smile as she headed down the hall to the staff room. She began to wonder if it would really be so bad if Nick and Alex did get together, but quickly dismissed the thought. Now wasn't the right time for them. She sighed to herself.

_I hope we can finish this all off soon, for Nick's sake_... _and for Alex's as well_.

Catherine found that she genuinely liked the woman. Alex seemed to really like Nick too... and it would be nice if he started dating again. She was starting to think that Alex might just fit the bill.

As she reached the staff room door, she was joined by Grissom.

"Gris. How's your case going?"

"Good, I guess. It's looking like it was just an accident. No foul play involved."

She smiled. "Sometimes it's nice to not have to deal with '_man's iniquities_ _to_ _man_' for a change, huh?"

"There was still a corpse, Catherine, no matter how you look at it."

She gave a sigh of exasperation and shook her head. They headed inside, where Greg and Sara were already sitting, each engaged in separate parts of the newspaper. Nick entered right behind them. Grissom sat at the head of the table, and all heads turned his way.

"Warrick's off tonight, so we're all here. So, tell me where you're at, guys."

Nick took Grissom through all new developments since their last discussion, and then added the latest information about Alex and James Meadfield that he'd gotten earlier that day. Catherine looked impressed.

Sara grinned. "Nice work, Nick. This is looking better all the time. What do we know about this guy?"

Greg jumped in with some information he'd pulled off the computer that morning before calling it quits. Nick was pleased that he'd gone the extra mile and nodded his approval as Greg relayed the information.

"As you know, the Meadfield's are well-known for their altruistic pursuits, and the Meadfield Enterprise is a well-known advocate for different foundations and benefits for various groups and underprivileged types. Margaret Meadfield assumed the Chairman position after her husband died, but her son, her second-in-command, really runs the show. Margaret's a figurehead more than anything else." He added, "Although, she's a pretty grim figurehead if you ask me."

Nick raised his eyebrows and nodded in agreement. "She's a tough piece of work, that's for sure. So, what about the sister? Do we have anything on her yet?"

Greg shook his head. "I haven't had a chance to look her up yet. It'd be nice if we could get her fingerprint though, so I can compare it to the other one."

Sara looked at him confused. "What print would that be, Greg?"

Catherine and Nick were baffled as well. Grissom looked at Greg intently.

Greg replied, somewhat nervously, "The fingerprint I pulled off the parking ticket... I told you about it the other morning."

Catherine spoke very deliberately. "No, Greg, you didn't."

Greg was becoming extremely uncomfortable. "But I logged it, and then I'm sure I..." He gulped. "I didn't mention it before?" The four-person scrutiny was agonizing.

Grissom spoke plainly, his patient tone somehow making Greg feel worse. "Why don't you tell us about it _now_, Greg?"

"Um, I..."

He squirmed in his seat, feeling like a specimen under his microscope. Right now he wished he was back working in his lab, where he never screwed up.

"OK. I found a good print on one side of the ticket. I ran it through AFIS, but came up with nothing. I... I'm really sorry guys. I was positive I'd told you all this... I mean I _logged_ it and everything..." He trailed off and his shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry guys. I screwed up." He paused and then looked directly at Grissom. "It won't happen again."

"Good. And fortunately there was no harm done... _this_ time." Grissom gave his characteristic bemused smile. Greg got the message and nodded soberly.

Catherine stood, trying to break the tension. "Well, I'm going to go check out some more on the Meadfields."

Nick nodded and stood as well. "I'm going to see if Archie found any shots of the license plate from the Jag as Lauren Abbot left the Bellagio. It would be nice to have for evidence, just to be on the safe side."

Grissom nodded approvingly and Sara spoke up.

"And I'm sure we're going to have to cross every '_t_' and dot every '_i_' if we end up trying to take this family to court. I'm picturing a team of high-powered lawyers..."

Nick nodded, grimacing. He'd already thought about this more than once, but he knew they could win this one if they worked hard on getting the evidence.

_We've done it before_...

Sara looked at Greg. "Let's see if we can find something useful about Lauren Abbot, shall we?"

He nodded quickly and practically jumped out of his seat and into the hallway. Sara caught up to him.

"Whoa there, speedy." She noted that he still looked a bit stressed, and she tried to lighten his load. "Look, Greg, don't worry about it. Everyone makes mistakes... especially when you're new. It's that first big screw up that makes you that much more conscientious from now on, you'll see."

Greg stopped and looked at her. "So you made a stupid mistake when you first started out?"

She grinned sheepishly. "Well, _no_, but..."

Greg shook his head and laughed. "_Thanks_ Sara. _I feel so much better_."

She shrugged helplessly and they headed off to the computer lab.

The three CSI's had been scanning the computers for ages when Sara called out from across the room.

"Jesus. Catherine, Greg... take a look at this."

The two CSI's gathered around her computer screen. Sara ran a clip of the Meadfield family from 4 years back, when James senior was still alive. It appeared to be part of a focus piece on one of Las Vegas' favourite sons, showing a happy, carefree family frolicking in their backyard with their pets and enjoying a barbecue. They presented the perfect image of a happy, All-American family.

Greg inhaled sharply. "No way..."

Catherine still didn't see it. "What am I looking for here?"

Sara re-ran the tape for her, and Catherine suddenly saw what they saw.

"Oh man. Nice work, Sara. We need to tell Nick."

The three of them grinned at each other.

Down the hall, Nick was entering the latest piece of evidence into the log. Archie had come through; he'd managed to squeeze a shot of the Jag's license plate from the car as it prepared to depart from the Bellagio parking lot. It had been tight, but he'd put the expensive lab technology through its paces and come up gold.

There was tapping at one of the far windows and Nick looked up. Greg stood outside with a big smile on his face, giving him a two thumbs up signal. Nick felt a smile creeping in...

_Well_,_ well_... _I wonder what we've got_.

He got up and followed Greg to the computer lab, where Sara re-ran the clip. She looked up triumphantly as she pointed to the screen.

"Irish Setters. The Meadfields own Irish Setters. Two of 'em."

Nick released a big breath and looked at Catherine, a big grin spreading on his face. This was almost too good to be true. "What do you think Cath? Can we go to the D.A with what we've got?"

"I say it's worth a shot. And we need to do it fast. I'll see who I can round up at this hour."

Nick felt excitement take hold. If they could get a search warrant for the car, hair fibres from the dogs, and a fingerprint from Lauren Abbot, they'd be on easy street, he was certain. He mentally crossed his fingers and decided to do a once over of the evidence they had to make sure it was up to snuff before Catherine pitched her case to the D.A.

Sara added, "I'm going to keep looking through Lauren's info on the net... see if I can find another way to get a print... just in case."

"Cool. I'm going to go find Brass..." He patted her shoulder as he passed her on his way out. "But hopefully we'll get the warrant and save ourselves the trouble." He smiled at her as he left.

* * *

Brass looked amazed. "Man, this is coming together nicely. I knew there was _something_ about that guy. I definitely like him for this one."

Nick nodded his agreement. "Yeah me too. Let's hope Catherine can get the warrant. I'm itching to get over there and prove it."

"Easy cowboy. Don't count your chickens. We have to play this one cool."

"I know, I know. It's just... I _know_ he did it. _You_ know he did it. I want to be able to show everybody else that he did too."

"You'll get your chance, Nick. Don't worry. We've made all the right moves on this one."

Nick nodded. This guy was going to pay for what he did to Alex. And Nick was going to make sure of it.

* * *

Alex awoke at 6 am that morning which in itself was unusual for her. Normally not a morning person, she usually required an alarm clock or a full bladder to coax her awake at that hour. She stretched out and laid there for a moment, staring at the ceiling. Unlike the previous two mornings, when she'd awoken in a state of panic, today she felt different... relaxed. _Dreamy_.

She sighed deeply and turned onto her side, hugging her pillow as thoughts of an extremely handsome someone flitted through her mind.

_Man, I've got it baaaaad_.

She was starting to think she should try to do something about it...

Y_eah_, _right_! _Coward_. _You'll never do it_.

She'd never had the courage to just ask a guy out, and she'd never been good at the sort of flirting she saw women in bars pull off all the time. The best she'd ever been able to do was call the guy she liked and hang up when he'd answered the phone. She giggled at her past stupidity.

_With call display these days, I'd be soooo busted._

Plus, she still wasn't really sure if Nick felt the same. She thought there was something, but... she'd never been a good judge of that either. She could almost never tell when someone was interested in her, short of them telling her.

_Ugh_. _There's nothing I can do_.

Feeling a sudden burst of energy, she decided to get out of bed and do some exercises. She'd been meaning to get back to her abs for a couple of months now. Well, no time like the present...

After about 25 half sit ups, she stopped in exhaustion.

_Hah, so much for that_.

She was in much worse shape then she remembered! _Man, getting older sucks_.

Feeling still energized, but with nothing else to do, she hopped into the shower.

_Maybe I can go home today_...

* * *

Catherine returned to the lab around the same time Alex entered the shower. The look on her face did not inspire confidence in Nick. He spoke first.

"You're kidding me right? He said no?"

"_She_ said no. Basically the gist of it was, '_pillar of society_', '_it could be anyone's ticket_', '_and_ _even so, how did it get into the apartment_', and circumstantial, circumstantial, _circumstantial_."

"Bullshit. This is _bullshit_."

"That's pretty much what I told her, but using slightly more polite wording. _Slightly_. She claims we can't physically place him in her apartment and well... she's right, Nick. We need Lauren's fingerprint, and we need to figure out how that stub came to be in Alex's condo."

Sara walked up just in time to hear this last statement.

"Fuck." Nick stormed off down the hallway and Catherine let him go.

Sara looked after him and shook her head. "I knew this would happen."

Catherine looked at her. "What? That we'd get screwed on our warrant and Nick would be annoyed?"

"Catherine, he's _beyond_ annoyed."

"Maybe a little, yeah, but I can't blame him."

Sara shrugged and decided to let it go. "_OK_ then. What now?"

Nick went into the men's room and headed for the sink. He splashed some water on his face and looked hard at himself in the mirror.

_Fuck_. _We need that print_. _We need to match it to the parking stub_.

He wondered where they'd gone wrong... and then he realized they hadn't gone wrong. They'd done everything right. They just didn't have the evidence. Not yet. Nick took a deep breath and turned around.

_Fine_. _We'll get it_. _That's what we do_.

* * *

Sara looked at her watch. The offices probably wouldn't be open yet, but she approached the front door. She pushed lightly and was surprised to find that the doors were open. She went inside and headed towards the reception desk where an immaculately groomed woman spoke into a headset. She stood patiently at the desk while the woman finished her call.

A little more internet research had revealed that Lauren Abbot also worked for the family enterprise, in a slightly smaller role than her brother. As the Director of Donations, Sara had seen a good opportunity to get in to see her.

The receptionist finished her call and looked at Sara. "May I help you?"

"Yes, actually. My name is Sara Sidle and I'm wondering if I could see Mrs. Abbot? I don't have an appointment, but my company is thinking about contributing to one of your foundations and I was hoping to discuss it with her."

"I'm afraid Mrs. Abbot hasn't arrived yet, but she doesn't have any appointments until this afternoon... perhaps you'd like to wait here in the lounge? She should be here shortly."

"Yes, that would be fine. Thank you."

She walked towards the large leather chairs, giving a thumbs up sign as she passed by the large front windows.

Outside in his car, Brass smiled.

_Here we go_...

* * *

Back at the lab, Nick looked at the video tape of Lauren Abbot leaving the parking lot for about the 100th time when he heard a familiar voice over his shoulder.

"You're pulling a lot of overtime on this one, Nick."

Nick looked wearily over his shoulder at Warrick.

"Yeah, well...What are you doing here anyway, man? It's your day off."

"I had some stuff to do in town and I decided to pick up my pay stub. Whatcha looking at there?"

Nick sighed. "I don't know. I've been staring at it for too long, I think." He rubbed his eyes.

"Let me take a look."

Nick rewound it and ran it back. Warrick did the same thing twice more, and then went a little further back.

"Hmmm. You have the parking voucher, right?"

"Yep."

"OK. Check it out."

Nick perked up instantly. "Show me something, man."

"Look here... A guy walks up and hands the dude his ticket, then the valet runs off and gets his car."

"Yep."

"Then, same thing here. Another guy, another ticket to the valet, then boom, off to get the car." He forwarded to the scene with Lauren Abbot. "Now watch this."

On the screen, Lauren Abbot walked towards the valet, her ticket extended towards him, but before she could hand it to him, the valet nodded at her and dashed off to retrieve her car. Warrick forwarded a bit, and they see Lauren getting into the car, ticket stub in hand.

Nick smiled. "She never gave him the ticket."

"Move over, man."

Nick got out of his way and Warrick sat down. He rewound the last scene and played with the equipment. He managed to get a decent zoom on Lauren's hand holding the ticket, and despite the poor quality of the tape, they could clearly see her toss it into the passenger seat as she entered the car. Nick nodded, getting excited.

"OK, OK... She goes home and never bothers to grab the ticket and throw it out. Then, Meadfield goes to use his car and sees the stub."

"Right. And this guy is probably like most high-end sports car owners and treats his car like a newborn. He picked up the parking stub and shoved it in his pocket... What's the date on that again?"

"Last Thursday night."

"Yeah. She brings the car home that night, and he takes it to work the next morning."

"Friday morning... Then he loses it later that night as he trashes Alex's apartment. He doesn't see it fall out of his pocket because he's in a blind rage."

Warrick smiled at Nick. "Man, that is _slim_."

Nick nodded and smiled back. "You said it. But it _fits_. Man, I think I love you."

Warrick laughed. "Just don't be picking out the china patterns yet. I like to be courted for a while before making a commitment."

Nick felt a renewed sense of purpose. Now all they had to do was prove it...

_We need that fingerprint_.

* * *

As Sara left Lauren Abbot's office feeling excited at her success she didn't realize how radiant she looked, but somebody else did.

A tall attractive man approached her from the front door and smiled at her. Sara recognized him instantly and her good mood slipped slightly.

_Just keep your cool_... _He doesn't know who you are_.

She attempted to pass him by without incident, but he paused as he was walking past her.

"Excuse me, have we met? I'm James Meadfield."

Sara tried to calm her frantic heartbeat. "No, I don't believe that we have... Sara Sidle." She shook his outstretched hand.

"Were you just in with my sister, Lauren?"

"Yes, I was actually. Um, I'm sorry Mr. Meadfield, but I'm sort of in a rush. I have another appointment. It was nice to meet you, though."

"Likewise. I hope we meet again."

He flashed her a charming smile and she felt creeped out. Sara thought to herself, _if the fingerprint in my pocket has anything to say about it, we'll be meeting again _real_ soon_...

She smiled back and quickly moved toward the front door. He watched her go and smiled to himself.

_Not bad_...

* * *

Nick looked up in question as Sara passed by the window. The smile on her face caused him to hope like never before. She entered the room and he pounced on her.

"Well? Tell me some good news Sara."

"Well, I seem to have something in my pocket that needs to go to the print lab... but we're a little past the end of our shift, so if you want to wait on it...?"

He shook his head at her and laughed.

"Not on your life, princess. Sara Sidle, you _ROCK_!" He put an arm around her shoulder and squeezed.

"OK, easy big fella! Let's get this baby to the print lab."

"I'm right behind you."

* * *

Alex looked out the front window and noticed that the nightshift officer had left and Officer Shelley had taken his place. He looked up and waved. She waved back and gave him the '_come_ _here_' gesture. He climbed out of his car and headed up the lawn. She opened the door as he arrived on the step.

"Officer Shelley. It's good to see you again. Can I interest you in a cup of coffee or a bagel... or both? Oh, and I have tea too."

"That sounds terrific. One bagel and one tea please. _To go_."

She laughed and headed into the kitchen. He stayed at the front door, keeping an eye on things. He thanked her politely as she handed over his breakfast special, and they sat on the front step to enjoy the morning.

"You're looking a little more chipper this morning." He commented.

"Yeah well, the boogie man seems to be staying out of the shadows a bit more today. I'm feeling surprisingly positive."

He nodded. "It shows. And my wife says I have an eye for mood changes, so..."

Alex stared at him in astonishment. "You're _married_?"

He laughed, and she realized how insulting that had sounded. "Oh, no... I didn't mean...It's just that you look so _young_! You hardly look old enough to be a cop, let alone married."

"I know, I know. I keep hoping I'll get one of those cool undercover gigs like in the movies... I'll go back to high school to infiltrate some teenage crime ring or something, and accidentally become the coolest, most popular guy in school."

Alex held her sides as laughter overwhelmed her. Tears running down her face, she managed to gasp out, "I think you've... watched... too much... 21 Jump Street!"

He was laughing with her by now. Abruptly, he stopped laughing and tried to appear hurt.

"Hey wait, why are you laughing so hard? I can do '_cool_'..." He grinned at her and she giggled some more.

"No offence, officer... I mean you're cute, but you're no Johnny Depp."

He laughed again. "True enough. True enough."

She really liked this guy. What he lacked in '_cool_' he more than made up for in personality. She decided to try and glean some information from him.

"So, Officer Shelley... any chance you've heard anything about me going home today?"

He shrugged apologetically. "Sorry. I know nothing."

_Damn_.

Oh well. Hopefully she'd hear from Nick soon...

* * *

Nick had paged Greg earlier and the former lab rat poked his head into the staff room. "I'm back. We got something?"

Greg looked so keen that Nick didn't feel bad for bringing him back in after his shift had finished. He held up the warrant.

"Yep. We got our warrant."

"You matched the print with Lauren Abbot?"

"Yes, thanks to the lovely Sara Sidle... whom apparently I owe a nice dinner."

Greg grinned. "Ah, she's a vegetarian. It'll be cheap. What do you need me to do?"

Sara entered the room. "Ready?"

"Greg, you'll be joining Sara and I for a little evidence processing. A couple of officers will meet us there. Get your gear. We leave as soon as you're ready."

Greg didn't have to be told twice. He started to trot around the corner, but Nick called him back.

"And Greg? This is a high profile case, so it's _gotta _be by the numbers."

Greg looked back at him seriously. "I won't let you down."

Nick and Sara believed him.

* * *

"Now what?" Greg asked, as they walked out of the labs, their samples ready for testing.

"You go home and get some sleep, and I see you back here around 11pm."

Greg grinned. "Got it. See ya later guys."

Sara called out to him. "You did good work today, Greg."

He turned back and smiled, and Nick nodded his agreement.

"See ya guys." He practically skipped from the room.

Sara laughed. "The guy's got potential."

"Yeah, he does. Thanks for sticking around Sara. I think we've got him."

Sara nodded. "I hope so. The guy is... creepy. He smiled at me today, and it was just so... I don't know. _Yuck_."

Nick nodded. "He's defininitely going down."

He suddenly smiled. "Go home. We should have some results by tonight, I figure."

"Boy, you don't have to tell me twice. See ya tonight."

"See ya." He got his stuff from his locker and headed out to his SUV.

_And now I have a promise to keep_...

* * *

Alex snuck a peek at the attractive man in the driver's seat beside her.

_Wow, he's even got a good profile_.

But he looked... tired. _Poor guy_. She wanted to reach out and run her fingers across his cheek... wipe away the tired dark circles starting to form under his eyes. She felt a blush rising again and looked out her window.

It was a sunny, beautiful day, and she smiled some more. Things just seemed to keep looking up. As she watched the scenery blur by outside, she felt her mind wander... she fantasized that they were driving through the countryside on their way to a weekend getaway at some romantic cottage, where they'd...

She became aware that Nick had spoken, but was unsure of what he'd said.

"Sorry?"

He laughed. "I said, '_You look like you're a million miles away,_' and then asked what you were smiling about."

She grinned back, embarrassed. "Oh, I was just thinking how things were looking up. Sorry."

"Don't apologize. Things _are _looking up."

"They _are_, aren't they? I'm starting to think I may see the end of this mess."

"Good. Think positive. That's a good thing."

"Yes, doctor. I will."

They laughed together and Nick marvelled again at how natural everything seemed to feel when he was with her. He somehow managed to feel both excited and comfortable at the same time. He couldn't remember ever feeling this way before. It was a new experience for him... but he liked it.

They pulled up in front of her place and he looked at her closely. She seemed OK, but he hoped seeing the mess again didn't bring her back down too much. She jumped out of the Denali as Officer Shelley pulled up behind them. He got out of his car and headed towards the front door.

"Let me just check it out first, guys." He called over his shoulder.

They waited on the front lawn and Nick watched Alex for signs of stress, but she still seemed OK.

"I'm going to be alright, you know." She turned her eyes to him, and he realized he'd been caught out.

"Sorry, was I that obvious?" He smiled awkwardly and she felt her stomach twist. He was so sweet.

"Yeah, kinda," she admitted. "But I appreciate your concern. You've been so good to me. I don't honestly know how I would have gotten through all this without you, Nick... I..."

Officer Shelley stepped back through the doorway. "It's all clear."

He saw Alex's embarrassed look and wondered what he'd interrupted, but decided not to pry. Nick looked a bit sheepish as well, but nodded at him and walked in ahead of Alex. She smiled shyly at him as she passed him on her way inside.

"Thanks Officer Shelley."

"Ah jeeze, call me Jim. We're practically _family_ by now. I mean, I've told you my deepest, most embarrassing ambitions..."

She laughed out loud and offered him her hand. "_Alex_. Call me Alex."

He shook her hand and smiled. "Good to know you, Alex. I'll be right out here if you need me."

She smiled and headed inside.

Nick stood in the living room surveying the mess with rising anger. Man, he hoped that they had enough to nail Meadfield by tonight...

"Wow. I forgot how bad this was." Alex commented from behind him.

He turned to look at her, swallowing his anger as his concern for her took its place. She didn't seem to be taking it as hard as she had a few days before, fortunately. Still, she didn't exactly look happy and he was still worried about her.

She surveyed the room.

"Man, it looks even worse in the daylight..." Sensing his concern again, she hastily added, "but at least it seems less scary now."

That was the truth at least. Somehow, instead of feeling violated like before, she felt only a mild, simmering anger.

_Why the hell would someone do this? People can be such assholes sometimes_.

She looked over at Nick again. "At least I'll have something to occupy my time while I'm stuck here..."

He felt a moment of helplessness again as he watched her. He could tell this was bothering her more than she let on.

"Listen, I was done my shift ages ago, so if you want me to, I could stay and help you with...this."

He looked at her questioningly, and she couldn't help but smile at him. She was dying to take him up on it, but she couldn't do it in good conscience.

"Oh, Nick... that's so nice... but look at you. You're clearly exhausted. You should go home and sleep."

He looked as if he might protest, but was betrayed by a yawn which he attempted to cover up, and failed. He laughed self-consciously. "No, Alex, seriously..."

"No, _Nick_, seriously. Go home. Get some sleep. You've been working so hard on all of this. You deserve it."

He smiled at her and gave in.

"OK. You're right. I'm beat." He looked around again. "I guess I'll leave you to it... but if you need anything..." He pulled a card from his wallet, and then pulled out a pen and wrote a number. "My cell number's on the bottom there, and I've written my home number on the back. Call me if you need anything. I mean it."

She felt so touched by his sweetness that she almost felt tears trying to well up. She concentrated on staying tough.

"Thanks. I will, I promise."

He backed away from her slowly. "Alex, if everything goes as I hope it will tonight, we may need you to come in and make some more official statements, OK?"

"Yeah, of course. Anytime. Call me." She blushed at yet another bad phrasing on her part, but Nick just laughed.

"You got it. I'll see you soon." He smiled and left.

She stood in the middle of her destroyed belongings and the evidence of her near-tragic demise, and all that ran through her mind was, _you better see me again soon Nick Stokes_. _You better_.

* * *

_**A.N** part deux_: Ok, some of you may have noticed my awkward attempt to cover up an earlier ommission regarding the parking ticket... and making poor Greg the patsy for my error... sorry, Greg fans! Honestly, I _love_ the guy too (he's number 2 after Nick) but I needed to get that back in the story _somehow_ and, well... Greg's the new guy! Everybody always blames the new guy, right? ;)


	11. Chapter 11

_**A.N**_: I forgot to thank everyone for their nice comments after chapter 9- Thanks!

I'm especially pleased to get approval from a Sara/Nick shipper... Thanks for your tolerance as well! (Those are actually the only other FanFics I read too! I can't bring myself to read the Nick/Cath ones, or the _slash_...)

* * *

Alex looked around the place and felt a moment of anxiety.

_Where the hell do I start_?

Jim Shelley knocked lightly on the front door and popped his head in.

"Thought you might need this." He held her suitcase in his hand.

"Oh yeah, thanks. I almost forgot."

She smiled back at him, thankful that his appearance had pushed back some of the clouds that were beginning to form in her mind. "Can I get you anything, Jim?"

"Nah, I'm good. Officer Collins will be here in a minute anyway, and then I'm outta here. I'm sure I'll see you tomorrow though."

"Good. I'll see you then."

After he'd left, she stared at the scattered bits of plastic at her feet, possibly a CD case, and made up her mind.

_Right_. _Garbage bags_. _I need garbage bags_.

She made her way back to the kitchen, and pulled a box of Glad garbage bags from under the sink. Picturing 'the Man from Glad" in his white suit from the TV commercials, she thought, _I sure could use a hand from him right now_... and then she was thinking about Nick again.

She'd stopped becoming surprised when he entered her mind, since it seemed like just about anything could trigger thoughts of him. Even garbage, it seemed. She chuckled to herself and started to head back into the war zone that was her living room.

As she passed her fridge she paused.

_Hmmm_.

Someone had cleaned up the glass from the broken window, and there was a big, sturdy piece of wood hammered over it.

_Well, that's a good thing_, she thought. Then she saw a note on the fridge: _Alex, don't worry about the damages_. _We're covered_._ I hope you're OK_._ I've added extra deadbolts to the back and front doors_._ The keys are on top of the fridge_. _Give me a call when you get a chance_. It was signed _Dave Grady_.

The landlord has been in... _That's good_.

Feeling relieved that he seemed OK with everything, she decided she should give him a call before it got too late in the evening. She went back into the living room and looked where the cordless phone set had been.

_Shit_.

The bastard had smashed up the phone, and ripped the cord and the phone jack right out of the wall.

_Well, no phone calls for me, I guess_.

She contemplated the mess with a look that indicated she meant business, and got to work.

* * *

Nick had woken up earlier than he expected, but he'd slept like a rock and felt strangely refreshed. He decided to hit the lab early, hoping all their results would be in. He was just about to head out the door when his phone rang. His heart beat a little faster...

_Alex_?

"Stokes."

"Hey Nick. I was wondering if you'd give me a ride in tonight. My Denali won't start." It was Sara.

"Weird. Did you remember to put gas in it?"

"_Funny_. Can I get a ride or not, wise guy?"

"Yeah, as long as you don't mind leaving now... I was just on my way out."

"Cool. I'm dying to see if the results are in too." He could hear her smile behind her words.

"Alrighty then. I'll see you in about 10."

He climbed behind the wheel and had another thought. No matter what they found tonight, Alex would need to come in and give some official statements about the encounters in the coffee shop. He might as well pick her up now before it got late.

He thought he should call her first, but realized he didn't have her number handy.

_I'm sure it will be OK_. _I don't mind waiting for her_,_ if necessary_.

Realizing Sara's placewas on the way to Alex's place, he headed there first.

* * *

_Phew_.

Alex decided she'd done enough for today and decided to take a shower. Officer Collins had been kind enough to help her dump the heavy bags of her smashed belongings into the condo-complex garbage bins. She'd also been very conscientious, and had gone through the apartment with a fine-toothed comb before she'd let Alex come all the way back inside. She seemed a little friendlier than the other day as well, and Alex gave her a can of diet Pepsi out of the fridge. She nodded gratefully and headed back out to her post.

Alex stood looking at her bedroom. It had taken her most of the day to get up the courage to even enter the room, but in the end it had taken far less time to clean up.

She noticed that her bedding was also missing now, along with her underwear drawer, but assumed it had probably been taken as evidence. She stared at the bed with distaste, and then headed into the bathroom for a shower. Not like she was ever going to want to wear any of that underwear again...

As the warm spray ran over her she realized that she was starting to feel a bit tired. It had been a long day, and more than a little heartbreaking.

She wasn't a real '_nester_' by any means, but she still had a lot of little keepsakes that she'd picked up from friends, family and travelling over the years. A lot of these things had been smashed to bits and she'd felt her heart well up in her throat a couple of times as she'd had to throw some sentimental items out. Her mind ran over a mental list of some of the things she'd lost and she sighed.

She turned off the water and grabbed a towel.

_Well, at least my CD's are more or less intact, and the TV appears to be working_.

She'd noticed a small scratch on the outer cabinet of the TV, but wasn't sure if it was a new addition or not.

_Anyway, it looks OK, so I'm sure the landlord will be happy_.

Then a thought crossed her mind.

_My photo album_... _I don't remember seeing that_...

It had been collecting dust on the top of her TV since she'd shown it to everyone at her little gathering a month ago.

_Hmmm_. _I should check that_...

Wrapping a towel around her wet hair, then another one around her body and tucking it in tightly above her chest, she headed downstairs.

She didn't see it on the bookshelf she'd set back up earlier, so she hadn't replaced it there absentmindedly and forgotten... _maybe under the sofa_?

Before she could crouch down, there was a knock at the door and she looked up, startled. She heard Nick call through the door.

"Alex? It's Nick. Are you..." He came through the door which she had stupidly left unlocked. "... _decent_?"

He stared at her without realizing he was doing it, and she felt a flush creep up her neck into her face. She clutched her hands to the top of her towel, suddenly thinking she had chosen one that was far too short.

Nick gulped in front of her. He felt a rhythmic pulsing begin near the bottom of his stomach.

"Oh, crap... I'm sorry. I tried the door and it was open. I was actually going to mention that you should be... locking it."

She looked back at him and then quickly at the floor, her embarrassment growing with each passing second.

"I, uh... Just...hold on a second." She slinked past him and quickly sped upstairs, her heart pounding.

Nick stood below, trying not to think about what he'd just seen, but finding he was unable to stop the sensual image of Alex in a towel from sticking in his mind. The sensations in his lower regions were not helping. He tried to counteract his growing arousal with a mantra inside his head.

_Think clean thoughts_... _Think clean thoughts_... _Think clean thoughts_...

Alex looked in the bathroom mirror at her flushed face, and tried to cool down her own semi-embarrassed, semi-stimulated state.

_Oh my God_... _I was just standing in my living room with Nick in nothing but a towel_...

The thought was causing her to change to a condition involving far less embarrassment and far more stirrings in her lower sections...

_Oh God_. _Get a hold of yourself_.

She shook her head and laughed nervously at a new thought involving her own sexual release options.

_Maybe if I actually _did_ get a _hold_ of myself, I could relieve these feelings more quickly_...

Well, she was definitely not tired anymore. The adrenalin coursing through her veins had taken care of that. She ran some cold water and splashed it on her over-heated face.

_OK, he's still downstairs_. _Calm down_..._Calm down_...

Finally starting to feel more like herself again, Alex moved back to the bedroom door. She called downstairs.

"Nick? I'll be right down. Just give me a couple of minutes."

He called up. "No problem. Take your time."

_Yes, please take your time_... _I need a minute to pull myself together_.

He walked into the kitchen and emulated Alex's actions of a moment before. Splashing cold water on his face a few times, he looked for a towel to dry off. As he grabbed some paper towels from the counter, he sighed with relief as he felt himself cool down.

_Wow_. _That was crazy_.

He chuckled and shook his head. _I can't believe I reacted like that_. _It's not like I've never seen a partially clad woman before_.

_Yeah well_, his mind spoke back to him, _you've never seen_ this _woman only partially clad before_...

_Shit_. He went back to the sink and splashed some more cold water onto his face.

Alex had quickly dried off and was now pulling on some old underwear with a stretched out elastic band at the waist. She kept a box of clothes she didn't have the heart to throw out in the deep recesses of her closet. She'd always found it difficult to throw out Victoria's Secret undergarments, even after she'd worn them out. They were just such good quality and she couldn't get them in Canada, so it seemed a shame.

And after what had just happened, she didn't want to risk the potential for more... _stirrings_, and she'd noticed that it happened decidedly more often when she was wearing no underwear. It made her sometimes feel a little... sexy? She smiled at her own foolishness.

_Man, I can be so lame_.

She quickly threw on some black cargo pants and a cream coloured mock turtle-neck with short sleeves. Trying to rush, she threw her hair back into a wet ponytail and applied a bit of mascara and some eyeliner, then checked her appearance. It's going to have to do, she thought, and headed back downstairs.

Nick was standing in the living room when she returned, checking out the improvements she'd made to thepreviously ransackeddécor. He felt a smile form on his lips as he watched her come downstairs.

She looked cute with a ponytail. _Cute_ was much better for him right now then the _sexy_ she'd shown him a minute ago. _Much_ better for his heart rate, anyway. He gestured at the room around him.

"You managed to clean it all up. Nice work."

She smiled and tried not to think about the embarrassing scene they'd had a few minutes ago.

"Yeah. I feel better staying here if things look a little more normal."

He nodded and then grinned uncomfortably, running his hand through his hair.

"Listen, Alex... I'm sorry about before. It's just that the door was unlocked and I wanted to make a point of showing you that anybody could just walk in... I guess I proved it a little too well... Anyway, I probably should have called you first, but I didn't have your number with me."

He shook his head, still grinning awkwardly, and then looked at the floor.

"Um... it's OK. And you're right: I _should_ have locked the door. Anyway, there's no harm done. And besides..." She pointed towards the ruined phone jack. "You couldn't have reached me anyway."

Suddenly, she remembered why she'd been down there in the first place. "Nick, I can't find my photo album." He became business-like again, and asked her for a description, and they started to look around and under furniture.

Sara came inside as they were both crawling around on their hands and knees. She laughed at the sight and they both looked up.

"Wow, am I missing out on a game of Twister?"

They all laughed and Nick and Alex got to their feet. Alex moved towards the woman, and reached out her hand. "It's nice to see you again, Sara."

Sara, impressed by Alex's polite but genuine gesture, shook her hand.

"It's good to see you too. You look a little better than the last time I saw you. Less... _dusty_."

Alex laughed and agreed. "No doubt."

She found her thoughts going back to the other night again. "It seems like everything happened so long ago and really it's only been, what? 3, 4 days?" She stared off into the distance for a moment, looking distracted.

Sara looked at the damp bandage on her forehead and remembered everything the poor woman had been through. She felt a pang of guilt as she wondered how she could have thought Alex might have caused problems for Nick. She seemed so... _nice_.

Alex seemed to come back from her trance and smiled at Sara, then looked back at Nick.

"So, what's up?"

* * *

Back at the station, Nick left Alex in the capable hands of Jim Brass to make her statement, as he and Sara went to the staff room to meet up with the others and discuss their progress. Grissom and Catherine were already there. Greg finally made an appearance, looking a little tired.

"Sorry guys. I couldn't seem to get to sleep today..."

"No worries. You did good work earlier, Greg. I'd say you're probably allowed to be 2 minutes late." Nick pointed out.

Grissom raised his eyebrows a bit and looked at Greg speculatively, then asked for the latest news on the case.

Sara had checked on the evidence already and had been all too happy to report that Lauren Abbot's fingerprints had matched the one on the parking voucher, and the Meadfield's dogs had matched the dog hairs found in Alex's condo.

In addition, the warrant had authorized them to check James Meadfield's clothing for the presence of dog hairs as well, even though he claimed he couldn't recall what he'd been wearing that day. Nick had looked at him skeptically at the time, seeing how immaculately dressed the man was; not a hair was out of place. In fact, his room had been just as pristine, and so had his car.

Margaret Meadfield had been angrily adamant that they wouldn't find anything in his car, probably not even dirt, as her son was meticulously clean. Nick made sure that the officer with them had made a note of these comments. He'd known that she was unwittingly confirming the likelihood of his and Warrick's speculations about James Meadfield plucking offensive litter, in the form of a parking stub, from his front seat.

They should be able to get the warrant for Meadfield's DNA with what they had, but Nick just wanted to get one more piece of corroborating evidence before they went for the warrant. He wasn't willing to risk rejection again; not at this stage in the game. He planned to go by the coffee shop where Alex usually grabbed her morning coffee, hoping to see if the morning girl was able to identify Meadfield, or recalled him speaking to Alex at all.

Grissom looked impressed. "Nice work everybody. If he's guilty, the evidence will put him away. Just play it safe from here on out. The big guns will be involved soon."

They all nodded and headed out of the staff room. Soon enough, they were certain they'd all be in the hot seat. But they'd be ready.

Nick returned to Brass's office as Alex was answering one of his questions. "No, he never actually asked me out. He sort of seemed like he wanted to, I think, but then he didn't, so I just decided he was one of those guys who flirts a lot. It was weird."

Brass looked up at Nick. "How're we doing?"

Nick smiled broadly as Alex turned slightly in her chair to look at him. "I think we're doing good. Really good."

Alex felt a moment of overwhelming relief. Nick looked so confident that she thought to herself, _this could finally be coming to a close_.

Nick spoke to her. "Alex, I've just spoken to someone over the phone at _Harriet's_ café who usually works in the mornings. I'm going to go show her the pictures of James Meadfield, and I was hoping you'd come with me to help her to remember..."

Alex interrupted, "Is it Alison?"

Nick looked surprised. "Yeah, that's right. Alison Stone."

"I can tell you right now she'll recognize him. She used to tell me to '_go for him_' all the time."

At the wondering looks from the two men, she explained. "Alison and I are both in the same program at UNLV. We're both at the College of Education, getting our teacher's degrees. We don't exactly hang out together, but we always talk at the coffee shop, and sometimes we'd sit together in lectures. She's really nice."

Brass raised his eyebrows and grinned at Nick. "I'm starting to feel like someone's got a horseshoe shoved up his posterior." He stood up. "Let's go folks. I'm taking this statement myself. Nicholas, you're driving."

As they walked down the corridor, a woman walking towards them seemed to recognize Alex. She smiled and looked about ready to say something, but then seemed to change her mind, frowning. She continued past them down the hallway.

_I guess she thought I was someone else_, Alex thought, and followed the men out to the Denali.

* * *

They arrived at _Harriet's_ and Alex quickly got out of the vehicle. Noticing Brass was still fumbling with his notepad in the front seat, she opened his door for him. He smiled at her and said "You're a true gentleman, Alex."

Nick laughed from the front of the SUV and she looked at him, smirking.

"_What_, did you think Texans control the market on politeness? I'm Canadian, remember? We're all about good manners."

Nick laughed again. "Sorry, ma'am."

Brass was doing something more with his notepad and told them he'd join them momentarily. Alex headed inside and Nick followed her. The place was bigger than it looked from outside, and a few people sat at some of the dimly lit corner tables. Nick stood at the door and looked around the place as Alex approached the girl behind the counter, who was maybe in her early to mid-twenties. She beamed as she saw Alex.

"Hey Alex! Good to see you. You're here awfully late."

"I could say the same for you. I thought you only worked mornings."

"Yeah, well since the school break started, I don't have to worry about afternoon lectures. What's your excuse?" She looked questioningly at Alex.

"Well, actually I wanted to ask you about that guy that I used to talk to in here sometimes, you know..."

Alison looked back at her and smiled. "You mean Mr. _Hottie_?"

Alex laughed. "Yeah, that's the one."

Alison looked guilty all of a sudden. "I think I blew it for you Alex."

Alex furrowed her brow. "What do you mean?"

"Just a sec... can I help you?"

_Mmmm_. _What have we here_?

Alison put on her brightest smile as Nick came up behind Alex.

He smiled back. "Actually, I'm here with Alex."

Alison looked at Alex with renewed respect. "Oh, well then... _nevermind_, Alex..."

"No, Al... this is Nick Stokes with the Las Vegas Crime Lab."

He nodded to her. "I spoke to you earlier on the phone."

The bell at the door jangled and Brass entered. He approached the group at the counter. Alex introduced him and began to explain why they were there. Nick pulled out the picture of James Meadfield.

"Just to confirm, this is the man you're talking about?" Nick asked her.

"Yep, that's him."

"Al, what did you mean when you said you think you blew it for me with him?"

"Oh, that. Well, I worked my last morning shift today and he came in this morning looking for you. I said I hadn't seen you, but then I looked up and saw a girl sitting over in the far corner who I could've _sworn_ was you, so I pointed in that direction for him. He was pretty much there when I realized it wasn't you. I thought he'd just move on, but he ended up talking to her, and then he sat down with her and they were there for a good half hour. When she left, he followed her out, and I figured I'd ruined things for you..." She looked a bit uncomfortable, but Alex shook her head.

"No, Alison, you didn't ruin anything for me. Don't worry."

"It was _spooky_ Alex. She looked so much like you. You have a doppleganger!" She laughed and Alex smiled.

Brass asked her a few questions about previous times he'd been there, and a few more about this morning's events.

"So, what did he say to you when he came in today, exactly? Can you remember?"

"Yeah. He walked straight up to the counter and gave me that big smile he puts on and said _'Have you seen Alex today_?'"

Alex frowned. "Hmmm. That's weird."

Nick looked at her. "What?"

"I just don't remember giving him my name. I never got his, and I usually don't just give people my name if I don't really know them." She looked at the other woman. "Did you ever give him my name, Al?"

"Nope. But maybe he heard me talking to you another time or something."

"Yeah maybe."

Brass checked to make sure he had everything he needed, and Alex said her farewells to Alison. The younger woman asked a question before she left. "What's going on Alex? Is everything OK?"

"Everything's fine, Alison. Don't worry. I'll see you soon."

The three headed back to the Denali and made their way back to the station. As they went inside, Brass looked at Nick.

"Are you going for the warrant?"

"Yep. I think we have all we need. I'm going to make sure it allows for DNA as well."

"Let me know when you're ready. I'd love to issue the arrest."

Nick smiled, and turned to Alex. "You don't need to be here when we bring him him tonight, Alex. I can drive you home first."

Alex smiled at him. "I'm in no rush. I'd kind of like to see him brought in, actually..." She smirked and blushed a bit, embarrassed. "Is that weird?"

Nick noted that Brass looked almost relieved as he replied.

"_Hell no_. If I was you, I'd want see the bastard brought in too." Nick nodded his agreement.

She smiled gratefully. "Thanks. Then I'll just wait here, I guess." She gestured at the entryway lounge chairs.

"Nah. I've got a better place." Nick smiled at her and led her down the hallway. He threw a comment at Brass over his shoulder. "I'll page you when I get the warrant, Jim. Probably in about half an hour?"

Brass replied. "I'll be waiting."

Nick steered Alex into their staff lounge. "Here. Make yourself comfortable." He picked up a remote control and turned on the TV, then gave her the control. "Watch some TV... relax."

"OK. This is great. And very comfy. Thanks Nick."

"I'll come see you after we're done... take you home."

She nodded her thanks again, and he left the room.

* * *

As Brass drove over to the Meadfield mansion, it was approaching midnight.

"Gee, I hope we don't disturb their sleep," he said sarcastically to Nick, who laughed.

"Yeah, that'd be a shame."

Brass looked over at his younger colleague. "Listen Nick, it's good timing that we got this warrant tonight."

"Why's that?" Nick felt surprised by the other man's tone.

"Because, as of 11pm, we no longer have an officer watching Alex's place. The Sheriff decided we've spent enough money on extra man hours."

Nick grimaced. "Well, I guess it doesn't matter now... This is the guy Brass. I know it is."

"Yeah, he is, Nicky. He's our guy. She'll be fine. Don't worry."

Nick looked over at the man, again surprised at his statement. Brass just smiled.

"Nick, it's written all over your face. And I'm a cop. I can read people."

Nick smiled and shook his head, but said nothing.

* * *

Nick had felt a moment of unease as they'd entered the Meadfield mansion only to find that James wasn't there, but was gratified when the familair Jaguar arrived just moments later and parked in front of the house. Dressed in a black sweater and dark pants, he strode up to the men on the front step, all the pleasantries of their first meeting now long gone.

"What the hell do you want now? Do you know what time it is?" He demanded.

Lauren Meadfield appeared behind her mother, who'd been arguing with Brass already. She looked nervous and clutched at her robe lapels, drawing them closer to her. Dogs barked from inside the home.

"Mother? James? What's going on?"

James looked hard at Brass, Nick and the other officer. "I hope you're pleased with yourselves. You've disturbed my entire family. You'll be hearing from my lawyers in the morning. This is harrassment and it's unacceptable."

Brass merely smiled. "James Meadfield II, we're placing you under arrest..."

Margaret looked at him, more with annoyance than fear. "Don't worry, James. Our lawyer will be at the station by the time you get there. I promise."

They placed his hands behind his back and cuffed him.

* * *

Back at the station, Alex felt herself dozing off. Just as her eyelids fluttered once again, Sara Sidle entered the room. Alex sensed her presence and sat up.

"Oh. I must have dozed off. What time is it?" She rubbed her eyes.

Sara smiled. "It's just after 1 am. All normal people are sleeping right now."

Alex laughed and yawned. "Well, I guess that means you and I are... _special_, then."

Sara laughed. "Yes. That's right. Special. I try to remind myself of that every night." The two women laughed together.

"Sara, do you know... Have they brought him in yet?"

Sara smiled gently. "Not yet. But they're on their way."

Alex nodded, feeling more at ease than ever. "Oh. That's good."

"Listen, I've got to organize the newest evidence for the Meadfield's lawyer, who will no doubt be appearing shortly... do you need anything?"

Alex shook her head. "No, thanks." She stared up at the tall woman. "And thanks for everything Sara. You guys are amazing. I don't know how I can ever thank you."

Sara smiled at her. "This is going to sound corny Alex, but this job is rewarding all on its own." Her smile became stronger. "I _loooove_ putting away bad guys."

Alex laughed and nodded again. "I bet you do. It must be a rush."

"You have no idea." She smiled at her again, and headed off down the hallway.

Alex leaned back into the comfy chair.

_Things are going to be alright_.

She felt her eyelids grow heavy again, and didn't fight it as sleep overcame her.

* * *

Nick had checked in on Alex when they'd returned. He smiled down at her sleeping form. She'd pulled her knees up and looked comfortable in the oversized chair. He pulled off his jacket and layed it gently over her, carefully tucking it under her chin. She sighed in her sleep and clutched at her neck, drawing the jacket closer.

She smiled in her sleep, and Nick felt his heart warming up. She looked so peaceful... so beautiful. He took a last lingering look at her, and headed back to the interrogation room.

He watched from behind the glass as Brass questioned James Meadfield and faced off with his lawyer, Alan Caufield. So far, James had appeared as calm, cool, and collected as they get.

Nick decided to join them in the room, and grabbed his DNA kit. He felt an urge to wipe the smug look from the man's face, but assumed a professional stance as he entered the room and stood behind Brass.

"Gentleman, this is Nick Stokes from the Crime Lab. He will be taking a saliva swab from Mr. Meadfield."

"And the warrant is _where_?" Caufield looked disdainfully at the cotton tipped stick in Nick's hand.

"That would be right here." Brass handed over the blue-covered forms.

Nick walked towards Meadfield and requested dryly, "Open up and say _awwww_."

James Meadfield maintained a placid expression on his face, but his eyes were another story. The venom sat thinly veiled for Nick to see. Slowly, it changed to a look of impatient tolerance and he opened his mouth. Nick swabbed inside his mouth and sealed the tip up.

"Thank you."

"What possible evidence could you have that would place Mr. Meadfield in this woman's apartment? He barely knew her."

_Hmmm_, Nick thought. _So he's at least admitting he knew her_.

Just then Nick saw Sara walking past and he went to the door, opening it slightly. She saw him and paused. He handed her the swab and whispered, "Get this to Greg quick."

She nodded and looked past him into the room. She made her way down the hallway, and Nick turned back towards the men seated around the table. James Meadfield had seen Sara and his eyes followed her as she passed by the windows and out of sight. The look in his eyes had changed ever so slightly. Nick felt a moment of triumph as he recognized the new emotion: _Fear_.

Brass began to explain their evidence.

"Well, Mr. Meadfield, perhaps you can explain how a parking stub for your car from the Bellagio, and containing a fingerprint from your sister _incidentally_, ended up in Miss Winter's condominium? Oh, and we also found some hair from your lovely Irish Setters. Do you have any thoughts?"

The man stayed calm, but his expression had taken on an edge of defiance.

Nick added his two cents. "And that DNA sample I just took will undoubtedly match up to some other samples we found in Miss Winter's bedroom. I think you know the ones I'm referrring to." Nick gave a very small, cryptic smile.

Meadfield finally seemed to lose his composure and looked at his lawyer, his eyes bordering on panic. Caufield gave him a warning look and he seemed to quickly compose himself again.

"You'll never hold him with this. I'll have him out on bail in the morning."

Brass didn't look concerned. "We'll see."

Nick looked at Meadfield, and the man glared back, pure hatred now openly visible in his eyes. Nick tried not to smile back at the man, but it was difficult. Nick's eyes said it all though, as he stared back at him.

_We've got you_.

* * *

Alex felt a gentle nudging and opened her eyes slowly. Nick was staring down at her, and she grinned up at him sleepily.

All she could manage to say was, "Hi."

"Hi. Sorry to wake you. You looked comfortable." He smiled.

She laughed slightly. "Yeah. I guess I was."

She looked around, trying to find a clock. It was 4:30 am.

_Wow_. _I slept for a few hours_.

Suddenly she realized why she'd been waiting in the first place and sat up straight.

"Oh. Did you get him? What happened?"

He laughed at her sudden alertness. "Yes, we've got him. He safe and sound in jail as we speak."

Alex let out the big breath she'd been holding in and smiled happily. "It's over?"

He felt his heart leap at her renewed look of hope. "Well, he still has to be tried, but... yeah. I think it's over. You're safe now, Alex."

It took everything she had not to leap to her feet, wrap her arms around him and kiss him soundly. In the end, all she said was "_Thank God_."

He continued to smile at her. "Ready to go home?"

She nodded and gave him her biggest smile yet. His heart beagan to beat faster at the sight of it.

"Yes Nick. I'm ready to go home."

* * *

They reached her place and he climbed out of the SUV and went around to Alex's door. Comfy yet again in his jacket, she had dozed off again briefly during the drive but she was awake now. She thanked him groggily as he opened her door, and he walked with her to the front door of her condo.

"Got your keys?"

She nodded and pulled them out of her pants pocket. He plucked them from her hand and started to unlock the door.

She yawned. "The little one opens the new deadbolt."

He unlocked it and opened the door, then stood aside as she entered the condo. The door closed behind him and he stood on the entry mat, hesitating. "Do you want me to check the place out before I go? There isn't an officer outside anymore."

She shook her head. "I'm sure everything's OK, Nick. But thanks."

She smiled at him, but it turned into a yawn. He laughed and watched as she tried to keep her eyes open. He reached out and tucked a stray hair from her ponytail behind her ear. She felt herself tremble slightly as his finger grazed her skin. Even as exhausted as she was, he could still elicit a response from her. She was relieved that her body seemed too tired to blush.

He smiled at her again. "Get some sleep. It's over."

"OK. I think I might just do that."

He smiled at her, and suddenly she felt an urge she couldn't control. She leaned up and kissed him lightly on the cheek. She didn't notice his shiver as she pulled away.

"Thanks Nick. I owe you... _everything_." She grinned, feeling embarrassed.

"Alex, I...."

The words got stuck in his throat. He swallowed hard. "It was nothing. I'm just happy it all worked out."

She nodded, yawning again as she replied. "Yeah. Me too."

He smiled. "OK then. Goodbye. I'll see you soon, I'm sure."

She smiled back. "Good bye."

Nick walked out to his Denali, and his hand strayed to his cheek where she'd kissed him. He leaned against the vehicle for a moment, staring back at her place.

_I wish_...

He turned and climbed in behind the wheel.

Alex watched from the front window as the Denali's tail lights disappeared around the corner.

* * *

_Author's note (part deux)_: Well, there you have it. Everything's all sorted out... _Or is it_?

Heh heh. Don't worry, there's more coming...


	12. Chapter 12

Alex sighed as Nick drove away, and then pulled his jacket closer.

_The jacket_.

She'd forgotten to return it to him.

_Again_.

She smiled to herself.

_Oh well_. _At least I have an excuse to see him again_.

She shook her head at the highschool antics, and headed upstairs. As she walked into her bedroom and turned on the light, she looked at the bare mattress. She blew out a stream of air and gathered her thoughts.

_Nope_. _I can't do it_.

She walked back out of her room and opened the linen closet beside her door. Pulling out a spare pillow, she went back downstairs and sat down on the sofa. She put the pillow down at one end and layed down. Pulling Nick's jacket closer around her neck, she yawned and fell almost immediately asleep.

* * *

Nick walked through the hallways until he reached the DNA lab and he poked his head in.

"Wow. There's an old familiar sight."

Greg grinned back at him. "You can take the boy out of the DNA lab, but you can't take the DNA out of the boy... Oh, _wait a minute_..."

Nick laughed at the lame joke. "Just so you know, man... your jokes haven't improved any since you switched to investigations."

Greg just shrugged, and Nick went on.

"So, we got a match on that sample yet?"

"No. But it could take a while... And the truth be known, I was going to head home..."

Greg looked at him tiredly and Nick looked at his watch. 10 am. Shift had finished an hour ago. Greg was working 4 ten-hour shifts that week, and with the overtime on top of that...

"Go home Greggo. It'll keep. Meadfield's not going anywhere."

Greg nodded. "You back in tonight, or is it your night off? I can't remember."

"I'm back in tonight."

"Okee Dokee. See ya then."

Nick yawned and realized he might as well leave too. He went to the locker room, grabbed his keys and headed out to his SUV. As he drove towards home he had an idea. Taking the next right turn, he drove back towards Alex's place.

* * *

Alex turned over in her sleep, pulling her knees closer to her body and curling her hands just below her neck. Unbeknownst to her, someone peered in at her through the living room blinds...

Nick smiled as he saw her curled up on the sofa, his jacket serving as her blanket.

_Poor girl_... _she didn't even make it upstairs_.

He decided not to wake her, and walked back to his vehicle. Happy that she was finally safe and sound, he drove home, intending to get something to eat and then catch some sleep himself.

* * *

Alex woke up, sunlight streaming across her face through the living room blinds. She stretched and rubbed her eyes. It all came rushing back and she let out a huge sigh of relief. Smiling to herself, she sat up.

_What time is it_?

She went to the kitchen and looked at the wall clock over the table. 11 am.

_Not bad_. _I actually got some sleep_.

Stretching again, she started up the kettle and sat in a chair contemplating her newly returned freedom.

_What to do_,_ what to do_... _First things first_:_ I'm going to go buy a bunch of new underwear_...

* * *

Returning home around 1 pm, Alex threw her new purchases in with the rest of her laundry, and carried her basket around to the laundry room at the side of her complex. One of her neighbours was just exiting.

"Afternoon, Alex. You've been away?"

Alex strained to remember the woman's name...

_Melanie_? _Mallory_? M...?

She gave up and replied simply. "Um, yeah. Just got back in yesterday..."

The woman nodded and walked around the corner. Alex returned to her own condo and pulled up the glass on the front screen door, leaving the heavier inside door propped open.

_This place can definitely use some fresh air_.

She moved towards the back door, planning to prop that door open as well, to create a breeze running through the downstairs. As she propped the back door open, she heard a noise from the front. Someone had opened her screen door.

She felt a shiver, and then quickly quashed it.

_You're going to have to learn how to relax again, Alex_.

She moved into the living room, and felt moment of shock at the person standing in her doorway.

* * *

Nick's pager started beeping and he grabbed it quickly from the kitchen counter. He looked at the display.

_Come to work ASAP_. _Cath_.

He looked at his watch. 9:30 pm.

_Hmmm, I wonder what's up_?

Probably just the lab results. Feeling uneasy for some reason, he decided to try calling her cell phone to see what it was all about. He dialled her number, but it went straight to voicemail.

_Damn_. _Well, I guess I'll just do as ordered_...

When Nick arrived at the CSI staff room 20 minutes later, he saw Catherine pacing back and forth. She stopped as she saw him through the glass and he entered the room, seeing concern etched on her features.

"What's up Catherine? Did the DNA tests come back?"

She nodded and spoke quickly. "Yeah they did and they confirmed that James Meadfield is our man. But we have a problem, Nick. They let him out on bail."

Nick felt dismayed shock run through his body. "_What_? You can't be serious? When? How?"

"This afternoon. His lawyer managed to convince the judge that he was an upstanding member of society with no previous convictions... the guy hasn't even had a parking ticket."

Nick stared at her, speechless.

She continued. "And they decided that due to the fact that the crime at hand wasn't serious enough to warrant an extended stay in jail..."

"_WHAT_?"

Nick's face had taken on a tinge of heated colour and Catherine winced but kept going.

"They claim that the fact that nobody was harmed makes it a less serious crime. It seems like they're treating this like malicious mischief, or damage to personal property or something..."

Nick lost it.

"_Are you fucking kidding me_? The only reason he didn't inflict any bodily harm was because he couldn't _find _her! This is _insane_! The guy's a fucking time bomb waiting to go off..._again_! And they just cut him loose on bail?" Nick couldn't believe it.

Then he swallowed hard as a thought occurred to him.

"What time was he released, Catherine?" He looked at her, fear showing in his eyes.

She shook her head dejectedly. "Just before noon."

Seeing Nick's frantic look, she went on. "I've been calling Alex's line for the last half an hour, but I keep going straight to voicemail..."

Nick was already moving down the hallway and Catherine tried to catch up to him.

"Her phone jack was ripped out of the wall." He called over his shoulder.

Catherine grimaced. "Oh yeah. I remember noting that. I can't believe I forgot. But Nick..."

He'd halted and turned around to look at her. The look on his face stopped her in her tracks and she gulped. He looked somewhere between anguish and grim determination.

"Catherine, get PD over to Alex's place. I'm going there now."

She nodded and ran back down the hall as he headed out to his Denali.

* * *

Nick ran up the lawn to the front door and knocked. There were no lights on inside. He knocked harder and shouted through the door.

"Alex? Alex, are you in there? _Alex_!"

He heard a car pull up behind him and looked around. A large, heavy set man climbed out of the car and Nick hurried down to meet him.

"What've we got, Stokes?"

"O'Reilly, I need to get in there. Help me break the door in."

The two men went back to the front door and slammed their shoulders into it. It gave way quickly. Nick looked inside, but O'Reilly held him back.

"You packin'?

Nick nodded and O'Reilly took the lead. "Follow me."

Nick took a look at the back of the door as they went inside. The deadbolt hadn't been on... He frowned with worry and looked around.

They swept the downstairs slowly and started to make their way upstairs. Nick watched O'Reilly's back as he disappeared into the bathroom, then came out again shaking his head. Nick turned back to look at the closet doors, now closed. O'Reilly moved to one side as Nick slowly opened them. Nothing. He looked down at the safe door nervously, but it was still open, and there was nothing inside.

Nick looked at O'Reilly and frowned. He felt relieved that they hadn't found her injured... _or worse_... He shook his head to remove the image.

_But then_, _where the hell is she_?

The two men made their way back down the stairs and moved toward the front door. A small crowd had gathered outside and O'Reilly held up his badge.

"It's OK folks. LVPD." He scanned the inquisitive faces. "Has anyone seen Alex Winters today?"

One woman in the back nodded. "I saw her in the laundry room early this afternoon."

Nick felt a ray of hope and asked, "About what time was that, ma'am?"

The woman moved closer to the two men, and scrunched up her forehead in thought.

"_Oh_, I'd say... _well_, it was a commercial during my show when I went to put in a load of clothes, so it must have been around... a quarter after 1? _Yes_, I'd say that's about right."

Nick nodded.

_OK_,1:15 pm. _She was here at_ 1:15...

The woman interrupted his thoughts. "She still hasn't taken her clothes out of the washer though."

Nick felt all hope fade and his heart seemed to dry up in his chest. He looked at his watch. 10:30.

He looked back at the crowd, and O'Reilly noticed that his voice held a slight edge of desperation.

"Has anybody else seen Alex Winters today... Did anyone see her _after_ that? After 1:15 pm?"

Everyone shrugged and some people shook their heads no. Nobody offered any information. Nick felt lost.

_Alex, where the hell are you_?!!!

* * *

Catherine looked up from the staff room table as Nick walked in.

"Well?"

Nick shook his head, looking grimmer than ever.

"O'Reilly and I checked her place out. No sign of her, besides her wet laundry still sitting in the common area washer."

Catherine felt her heart sink. She had no good news of her own either.

"I tried the Meadfield residence, but his mother wouldn't let me talk to him andthen she hung up on me. Whether he was even there or not, I can't be sure..."

Nick looked so forlorn, she grappled for options.

"Nicky, she could be anywhere. Maybe she went out. And Meadfield's probably on a flight to Monaco or someplace as we speak. He's long gone."

She knew what he was thinking was a possibility too, but she refused to give up hope. She tried to stay strong for the anxious man beside her. For Nick's sake, she prayed that Alex was alright.

Nick nodded, hoping that she was right. But he'd seen the look in Meadfield's eyes in the interrogation room. The man wasn't used to failing, he could tell. And he was angry. _Very angry_... But would he actually have the balls to try and get Alex again? And if not at her condo, _where_...?

Nick looked up suddenly, eyes intense. "He has an apartment."

Catherine raised her eyebrows. "Nick, without a warrant..."

He brushed off her comment. "I'm just going to go by there, see if he's home."

Nick's cell phone rang and he quickly answered it, hoping...

"Nick Stokes."

Catherine saw his face fall as he talked. "Yeah. I know. I'm going back to Turnberry place to see if he's there. I know, I know. It's just in case. OK. Yeah. I'll see you in 10."

He hung up the phone and Catherine stared at him. "It was Brass. He's going to meet me there."

At her questioning look he sighed. "Look Catherine, I know. I won't do anything stupid." He looked at her and she saw his eyes looked a little misty and unfocussed as he spoke. "It's just that I don't know what else I can do... What can I _do_?"

She fought back her own emotions and put an arm around his shoulder.

"It'll be OK Nicky. I know it will. Go. See if he's there"

Nick nodded dejectedly and turned around. And then he was gone.

* * *

Sara Sidle walked up to the familiar man standing with the group of officers. She noticed David standing behind him, plastic bodybag ready to go. They were in the the desert, just outside the city.

"Hey Gris."

Grissom turned around to stare at her, surprised. "Sara? What are you doing here? Where's Catherine?"

Sara smiled, amused. She always got a secret pleasure out of surprising Grissom. She went on to explain.

"There were some developments on the Meadfield case and Catherine asked me to come in early to help you out."

She went on to give him the details of Meadfield's release.

Grissom frowned. "They let him out on _bail_?"

Sara nodded, frowning. Grissom let out a big sigh.

"I will never understand those people."

Sara smirked her chagrin. She knew that for Grissom, '_those people_' pretty much included everyone outside the CSI labs, and even a few of _those_ people were questionable as well.

She looked up at her boss. "What do we have here?"

Grissom shrugged and replied, 'I'm not sure yet... I just got here myself. Apparently we have a dead body about 50 feet back there in the scrub." She nodded and he added, "Let's take a look."

The two walked behind an officer, all three of them being careful not to disturb any possible footprints or evidence.

* * *

Nick nodded to Brass as he approached the man outside the luxury high-rise. The shorter man had beaten him there by a few minutes.

Brass held up some pictures. "I brought these, in case the doorman saw anything."

Nick nodded and looked down at the picture of Meadfield and another one of Alex. Brass had taken her photo the day before to put in her file. Nick felt a lump in his throat as he looked at her face, and then nodded to Brass again.

"Let's check this out."

The two men approached the front desk inside. A different, younger man stood behind the concierge desk.

"May I help you?"

Brass began questioning him on Meadfield, and this concierge seemed far more willing to help than the other man had been.

"Yes, I saw him earlier. He was just leaving when I started my shift."

"About what time was that?" Brass inquired.

"Around 6 pm, or maybe...more like 10 after."

"Was this woman with him, or do you recognize her?" Brass produced the picture of Alex and Nick watched the man intently.

There was no look of recognition in the man's eyes, however, as he answered.

"No. I haven't seen her at all."

Nick felt a small spurt of hope, but it was shortlived.

_Alex hadn't been seen here after 6 pm, but that didn't mean_...

"Brass, we need to check the apartment." He looked earnestly at the detective.

It almost pained Brass to have to reply.

"Nick, you _know_ we can't do it without probable cause. And right now, we have nothing. We have no crime, no..." Brass caught himself before he'd said _no body_, but Nick had understood his meaning. He stared at his feet.

_He looks beaten down_, Brass thought. _God, I hope she's OK_...

Brass handed a card to the concierge. "If you see either of them, I want you to call me right away. Got it?"

The concierge nodded and Nick and Brass headed back out to their vehicles. Brass called out to Nick as they split up.

"I'll see you back at the PD. Don't lose hope Nick. There's nothing to indicate foul play." Nick barely nodded, and then climbed into his Denali.

Brass sighed.

_How did this happen_?

He climbed behind the wheel of his sedan and headed back to the LVPD.

* * *

Grissom shined his flashlight down at the body and Sara grimaced.

"Jesus. Well, it's a woman."

Grissom nodded and moved the flashlight over the body. "Looks like we have one hand missing... and most of the other arm as well."

Sara crouched down and examined the side with the missing hand. "It looks like it was hacked off, probably with a sharp knife or something... maybe a serrated edge..."

Grissom had crouched beside the woman's head and shined his flashlight across her sideways-turned face.

"Her face looks like a punching bag. One eye is blackened and swollen, her nose is bloody and swollen as well... possibly broken. And her lip has been split open."

He moved the flashlight across her blood stained forehead where other gashes were evident. Something above the scalp caught his eye. "Hmm. There's a wound in the scalp here too. Looks like blunt force trauma."

Sara stood up and looked around the area.

"Seems strange that he didn't attempt to hide the body better. I mean, we're in an out-of-the-way location, but she's not very well-hidden, and there's just this plastic tarp wrapped very loosely around her. And she doesn't look to have been here for very long..."

Sara moved her flashlight towards the woman's face. "I mean, he could have at least..._Oh God_..." She broke off and Grissom looked at her, having caught the tone of her voice.

"What? Sara... What is it?"

She stared back at him with a growing shock growing in her eyes. He moved closer to her and looked carefully where she was shining her flashlight.

"What _is_ it Sara?"

She tried to find her voice. "I... I think this is Alex Winters."

Grissom raised his eyebrows in surprise and shined his light back on the woman's face.

_Damn_.

* * *

Nick and Brass walked back into the CSI entrance at the same time, and headed towards the back offices. As they reached the staff room, Catherine looked across the room from her perch by the phone.

"I've just left several messages on Alex's voicemail. Even if she can't make calls, she can call her line and pick up messages."

Nick nodded and smiled slightly. "I've already left her a couple as well."

Catherine nodded, not surprised. Greg entered the room and looked at the two men expectantly.

"So? Any luck?"

Nick shook his head dejectedly and Catherine frowned.

_Now what_?

Brass started to head back out. "I'm going to put out the word, see if anyone spots her."

Nick nodded, but he didn't look hopeful. Catherine tried to think of something to say to him, but her mind drew a blank. "Nick, I..." She stopped as her cell phone rang, and she hit the receive button.

"Willows." She waited for the response. "Oh hey, Gris... did Sara..._What_?"

Nick looked up at her exclamation and watched her face carefully. He watched her expresion grow more strained as she spoke into the phone.

"Where?... But... I don't... Is she sure? Can she tell for sure?"

This last statement had a panicked quality to it, and Nick felt his heart begin to pound heavily in his chest.

Catherine finished her call and she looked down at the ground. She looked up at Nick and he caught a tear welling in her eye.

_Oh God_... _what_...?"

"Nick, I..."

He felt alarm overhelming him now and he looked at her hard. "Catherine, what _is_ it? _What's going on_?"

She attempted to clear her throat as emotion tried to take over.

"Grissom and Sara are at a site with a dead body, and Sara... Sara thinks it's..." She trailed off and tried to hold back the tears.

Nick looked at her desperately and shook his head. "No... no, it can't be. No..."

His voice was breaking up, slowly. "Catherine, it _can't_ be her. It's not Alex. It's _not_."

Catherine felt her heart break at the tremor in his voice, and tears streamed down her face.

"She said she's not sure because the face is pretty beaten up, but..."

_But Alex is missing and now a body turns up that looks a lot like her_.

Catherine let the words remain unsaid.

Nick stood in the middle of the room in shock, and Catherine remembered that Greg was still in the room. She turned around to see the young CSI sitting sadly on the arm of the chair behind her. Their eyes met, but they said nothing. He looked down at the floor. She turned back to Nick.

She moved towards him, putting her arm around his shoulders. "Nicky, why don't you sit down."

He didn't budge. "No. No Catherine. It's not her. It can't be." He started to move towards the door. "Where are they? Where's the scene?"

She grabbed his arm to try and stop him. "No Nick, they're... Sara and David are on their way back right now with... with the body."

He stopped, but wouldn't look at her. He spoke very quietly as he looked at the floor.

"It's not her Catherine. It's not Alex."

He looked up at her just then and she felt her breath catch at the intense look of determination in his eyes. She drew in a deep breath and tried to regain her composure.

"You could be right Nick. I'm going to stop jumping to conclusions. Let's wait until... until Sara and David get back. We don't know anything for sure yet."

Nick stared at her and tried to smile his gratitude. He recognized her attempt to be strong for him. He managed a watery grin, and nodded. He spoke in the same quiet but determined voice.

"I'm not giving up Catherine. I _can't_."

* * *

Sara made her way towards the staff room, certain everyone would be waiting there.

_God_, _had someone told Nick_...?

She slowed her pace a bit as she reached the staff room door and saw Nick inside. He looked up at her, his eyes as dark as she'd ever seen them. He stood and moved towards her as she stood in the doorway.

"Nick, I..."

"_Where is she_, _Sara_?"

"David took her to room 3, but Nick I think you should wait until..."

He gently moved her aside and spoke quietly but firmly to her.

"Sara, I'm going_ now_."

He was past her and heading back towards the coroner section before she had a chance to finish speaking. She wiped a tear from her face and looked at Catherine and Greg hopelessly.

_Poor Nick_.

* * *

David looked up as the door opened and Nick Stokes stood there, not moving.

"Nick?"

"I need to see her, David."

"Nick, I haven't even taken her out of the bag yet... maybe you should wait until I've finished, and I've cleaned her up..." He stopped speaking as he noticed the stern set of Nick's features.

"Open the bag, David."

"Nick, are you sure...?"

Sara had given him the gist of the story as they'd prepared to bring the body back. They rarely showed bodies to mourning families who came to identify them before they'd had a chance to clean them up somewhat. And it seemed as if Nick and this woman had grown... attached.

Nick moved towards the table and repeated his words. "_Open_ the bag, David."

David looked at the serious man and sighed. He began to unzip the bag and pulled the sides open for a better look. Nick felt a momentary flashback to Kristy Hopkins.

_No_, he anguished. _This can't be happening again_. _Not Alex_.

David watched Nick's face as he held the two sides apart so he could see inside. Nick's face grew harder still, and a barage of emotions flitted across his face.

Nick's eyes welled up. Trying to keep his mind from flying off into a thousand pieces, he choked back a sob, and tried to fight the tears back.

_It looks like Alex_.... he felt sick and had to look away.

David's heart went out to the man, but he remained silent.

After a moment, Nick returned his gaze to the form in front of him. There was a lot of bruising and swelling. And _so much blood_...

Nick thought if he stared hard enough, he'd see something that would jump out at him, something that would tell him that this was _not _Alex Winters lying lifeless on this table. He looked carefully, even though it was slowly becoming harder for him to catch his breath, and he began to feel lightheaded.

_Don't black out now, Stokes_... _It can't be her_._ Now, prove it_!

He looked up at David, who was staring back at him, concern evident in his eyes. Nick paused.

_His eyes_...

As David watched him, a small ray of hope seemed to shine through the despair in Nick's eyes.

"David, do me a favour..."

* * *

Sara looked at her companions gloomily. There must be something they could be doing right now...

She sighed. She couldn't think of a thing.

They were all disturbed from their varying degrees of sadness by the ringing office phone. Greg answered it.

"Greg Sanders... No this is the right place; I'm a CSI now... Oh, thanks...Yeah, she's here. Yep, I'll tell her... probably just be a minute." He hung up the phone and looked at Catherine.

"Cath?"

She raised her slightly red-rimmed eyes. "Mmm?"

"There's someone looking for you at reception."

Catherine looked a bit confused, but nodded. "OK. I'll be right back."

She left the room and headed towards reception.

_Who could this be_? _It was almost 12:30 am_...

She walked down the hallway and it seemed to stretch on forever as she found her mind locked onto tonight's tragedy.

_We should have been able to prevent this from happening_...

She rounded the corner and stopped dead in her tracks, as she recognized the person standing idly in front of the reception desk.

Her mouth dropped open, and she wasn't sure if she said _Oh My God _out loud, but as Alex looked in her direction and smiled guiltily, she realized she must have.

"Hi, Catherine. I'm _really sorry_. I only just checked my voicemail about 5 minutes ago... I got all your messages to call, but we were close by so I just had my friend drop me o..."

She stopped as she saw the look on Catherine's face. "Catherine? What is it? Is something wrong?"

Catherine felt her power of speech returning.

"Alex, my God... you're..._Oh my God_."

She moved close to Alex and wrapped her in a tight embrace. Alex hugged her back, despite her confusion. As Catherine pulled away, she had a couple of tears running down her face and she smiled through them at Alex. Alex smiled back and laughed nervously, still confused.

"Catherine, _what_ is going on?"

"I'll tell you _what's_ going on, Alex. I can't think of the last time I've been so _happy_ to see someone... _that's _what's going on." Catherine laughed and hugged her again.

Alex shook her head and continued to smile at Alex, a bemused expression crossing her features.

"Catherine, I don't understand. What are you..."

Catherine grabbed her hand and started to lead her down the corridor. "On the way. I'll explain as we walk."

The two women hurried through the corridors, Alex trying to keep up to Catherine's pace. Catherine gave her a quick version of the events that had transpired that evening.

At one point Alex stopped and Catherine turned around to look at her.

"There's another woman, who looks like me... and she's _dead_? You thought _I_ was dead?"

The stricken look on Alex's face made Catherine pause.

_Slow down Catherine_... _she's been through enough already_. _Try not to freak her out_...

"Yes. We were a bit worried... but look, you're fine, and you're _here_, and you're safe."

Alex started to walk with Catherine again, this time slower.

"I don't understand what you're saying... What does this woman have to do with me?"

Catherine thought about how to phrase this, without panicking her.

"Well, possibly nothing. It may just be a coincidence. But we need to be sure, Alex." Alex continued to watch her closely, waiting for more information, and she went on. "You see, the thing is... well, James Meadfield was released on bail this afternoon and..."

Alex gasped. "_What?_"

Catherine felt chagrined, as she'd done the one thing she'd been trying to avoid: _alarming Alex_.

Alex's eyes were wide. "I thought he was locked up... you all told me he wouldn't be back out after today..." She felt panic rising as she considered the implications.

Catherine stopped her and stood facing her, and layed her hand gently on Alex's arm.

"That's what we all _thought_, Alex. There's no way he should have been released." Alex continued to look upset, so she kept talking. "It's OK, Alex. You're here now, and we won't be letting you out of our sight again... _Trust_ me."

Alex seemed to at least try to compose herself as Catherine continued to watch her. "OK?"

Alex nodded and took a deep breath. "OK."

Catherine toook her hand again and started back down the hallway. They finally reached the staff room windows and Catherine looked in to see if Nick had returned, but seeing that he hadn't, kept walking past the open door.

Sara had looked up, and upon seeing who Catherine was dragging along behind her, had instantly moved to the door, looking out. Her face was a mask of shock as she watched them recede down the hallway.

"Oh my God..."

Greg hadn't seen the two women go by, and looked up as he heard Sara's utterance. He looked at her questioningly.

"What?"

Sara turned and stared at her colleague. "Catherine just went down the hallway... and Alex Winters was with her."

She smiled, her shock still evident. Greg looked at her, equally shocked. "What?"

Sara simply nodded. "She's not dead."

She felt relief wash over her and watched a grin slowly cross Greg's features. Her mind was spinning.

_Thank God_,_ Thank God_..._ Nick's going to be OK_...

* * *

Catherine and Alex had reached the coroner's section and Catherine stopped.

_OK, I definitely can't take her into the coroner's exam room_...

She put her hand on Alex's shoulder. "Wait right here. Do NOT move."

Alex laughed lightly and pointed at the ground at her feet. "Right here. I'm not moving."

Catherine smiled and moved towards room 3...

* * *

Nick looked up as Catherine entered the room, his eyes shining.

"Cath... It's not her. _It's not Alex_... This woman has blue eyes. Alex's eyes are _brown_..."

Catherine replied quickly "I know Nick. I know it's not Alex."

He looked back at her, mild confusion clouding his eyes.

"What do you mean? How could you know?"

Catherine gave him her biggest smile. "I know because she's standing outside, Nick. Alex is in the hallway outside."

He stared at her, still confused, trying to figure out what she was saying to him. As comprehension took hold, he raised his hand to his head and ran his it back through his hair, leaving it to rest there. He exhaled loudly, and then looked towards the door behind Catherine, his eyes reflecting his shocked understanding.

"Alex..."

He rushed past Catherine and outside the door. He looked left and then right... and then he saw her, standing alone and looking back at him.

"Nick?" She looked at him, doubt clouding her face.

On hearing his name, he felt his resolve crumble.

He moved quickly towards her, and as he reached her he wrapped his arms tightly around her and picked her off the ground, holding her close. As he lowered her gently, he felt tears run freely down his face as he clutched at her back, still hardly believing she was real.

"Alex...Oh God _Alex_... You're _really_ here..."

She held fast to him, feeling all the emotions she'd been trying to keep under wraps for the last few days finally overflow. She felt her own tears falling now too, and she sobbed a little in his embrace.

He buried his face in her hair and held her even tighter, afraid to let go of her again.

* * *

_**A.N**_: Well, how was that for a bit of angst? I was going to leave you all hanging, and put the embrace at the start of the next chapter, but I thought that would be _mean_... ;)

Stay tuned... and don't get too comfortable... it's not over yet!


	13. Chapter 13

Alex couldn't stop herself from snuggling against Nick, trying to get closer. With her head resting in the nook of his shoulder, her face turned so that her forehead rested against his jaw, Alex kept her eyes closed as she breathed him in...

_God, he smells good_. _So, manly_...

Then she thought about how ridiculous that sounded and couldn't help but giggle.

Nick pulled back from her slowly, keeping his hands on her waist as he looked down at her with a half-smile.

"What's so funny?"

She looked up at him and smiled back, eyes still a bit wet from her tears. His heart began to beat faster. _That smile_... It was possibly the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

She sniffled and grinned some more. "Um, I don't know. I must be hysterical again."

He gave a small chuckle. "Oh no. Not the hysteria again. It was _unbearable_ last time." They both laughed.

As he continued to stare down at her, his smile started to waver. "Alex, I... we thought..."

She interrupted him. "I know... I'm so sorry. I... one of my best friends from university back in Canada showed up suddenly today and she wanted me to take her out on the town... I mean, it's Vegas right? And I thought it would be a great way to release some of the stress from everything that's been happening..."

She found that she'd stepped away from him, and was now regarding him guiltily. "Oh Nick, I'm _so sorry_. I should have checked my messages earlier..."

He laughed gently. "Alex, stop. You didn't do anything wrong. I'm just so... _relieved_ that you're OK."

He pushed a piece of her hair behind her ear and she felt a familiar tingle as he touched her skin. "It's all OK now. Stop worrying. You'll get _wrinkles_."

She looked at the sparkle in his eyes and laughed, and it seemed as though the last of the tension seeped out of her body.

"Yeah. We can't have that." She smiled at him some more. "You're going to have to stop making me laugh though. That causes wrinkles too, you know."

He laughed back. "Nope, laugh lines don't count. Only worry lines."

"Oh, OK. That's good to know." She couldn't seem to stop smiling.

He stood back and looked at her, almost not believing what he was seeing.

_She's alive and she's OK_.

He felt as though he might start to get misty again, and he looked down the hallway to clear his head. Just then, Grissom walked around the corner and pulled up short in surprise when he saw them.

"You're alive." His eyes showed his astonishment as he stared at Alex.

The two turned to face him. Nick grinned and Alex laughed out loud.

"Yeah, I guess I am."

She stared up at the man beside her, and her heart rate began to speed up.

_I don't think I've ever felt _more_ alive, in fact_...

Grissom smiled and let out a sigh of relief. "That's a good thing... a very good thing. I'm glad you're OK." Then he looked at Nick and smiled.

Catherine poked her head out of the exam room and called out. "Gil?"

He nodded at Alex and Nick and made his way into the room. Nick followed Grissom with his eyes and realized once again just where they were standing. This was no place for Alex. He suddenly turned to her and, trying not to give anything away said, "What do you say we head back to the staff room?"

She nodded and started walking with him, but she'd seen his gaze following Grissom a moment before, and had seen the tightness of his jaw.

"She's back there, isn't she?"

Nick thought about playing dumb for a minute, but then nodded yes.

"Is it bad?"

He looked at her as they walked, surprised by the question.

"Yeah, it is."

Alex felt as if a weight had suddenly been placed on her chest and she stared down the corridor in front of them, her mind racing.

_Why would anyone do this_? _I wonder if she had family_... She gulped.

Wa_s that supposed to be _me?

Nick saw her expression become more serious and he reached out to grab her hand.

"It's OK Alex. You're safe now. I won't let anything happen to you. In fact, I'm not letting you out of my sight from now on." He squeezed her hand a little tighter, as if to reinforce his point.

She looked up in surprise and saw the intensity of his gaze. She felt overwhelmed for a moment, and thought she might start to cry again, so she looked at the ground.

"Nick, I... thank you. I feel safe when I'm with you." She still couldn't look him in the face, but he smiled at her anyway.

They continued on to the staff room, and he offered her a seat on the sofa, which she gratefully took. She was beginning to feel the combined effects of a long day out on the town with her friend, and the horrific events of the last half an hour. She looked up at him.

"Nick, do you think you'll be able to figure out who she was? Find her family?"

He regarded her seriously. "We'll do what we can, but sometimes it's difficult. A lot of the time, these people are never identified."

He looked sombre, knowing the numbers of people that suffered that fate. It was a tragedy. He was probably the only reason that Kristy Hopkins had a decent grave.

Alex nodded her understanding and looked pensive for a moment.

_That's so sad_. _To die in such a terrible way, and nobody ever comes to say good bye to you_...

She shivered slightly, and Nick grabbed the blanket off the back of the sofa and draped it around her shoulders. She smiled up at him and pulled it closer.

* * *

Dr. Robbins was examining the body of the young woman on the table as Grissom and Catherine looked on. He shifted the body to its side.

"Hmmm. That's interesting. Look at this."

The two CSI's moved to his side. Catherine frowned.

"Why would someone slice a piece of skin off her back?"

Grissom replied. "Probably for the same reason he cut off her hand and most of her other arm. Keepsakes maybe?"

Doctor Robbins nodded, considering the possibility. "The amputations and the skin removed from the back were post mortem."

"What about the rape kit?" Catherine asked.

"There was slight evidence of rape, but he left no samples. Must have used a condom."

Greg suddenly appeared in the room. "You paged me?" He looked down at the body and grimaced.

_Man, she looks like Alex_... _What's left of her anyway_. _Spooky_.

"Yes, Greg. Take this tooth mould and hit the dental database. Get Sara to help you- she knows all the tricks."

Greg nodded. "She's going through the missing persons right now."

Grissom nodded approvingly. Sara was always on top of things. He handed Greg the nearly solidified tooth mould.

"Any luck with DNA yet?"

Greg shook his head. "Not yet. It'll be a while longer, and then we'll only get lucky if she happens to be in CODIS for some reason." He looked back at the body. "Do you know the cause of death yet?"

Three pairs of eyes looked to Dr. Robbins, who responded, "Well, this is only a preliminary theory, but I think she was beaten almost to death, and then this blow to the head finished her off." He pointed to the wound in her scalp. "Looks like it was done by a blunt object... my guess would be a hammer. But I'll let you know when I confirm everything."

Catherine nodded.

"Let me know when I can take a mould of the wound, Doc. I'll see if we can't find something to compare it to."

This last was directed to Grissom as she headed for the door. Greg followed her and headed off towards the computer lab. Catherine turned a corner and met up with Brass.

"Catherine. Been an exciting evening, huh?"

"Yeah, a bit _too _exciting for my liking."

They turned another corner and entered the staff room, where Alex sat alone on the sofa. Catherine looked around.

"Where's Nick?"

Alex looked a little embarrassed. "He went up to the vending machines to try and find me a Diet Pepsi."

Brass smiled. "He's a knight in shining armour, that one." He looked down at Alex. "You gave us a bit of a scare. I'm glad to see you're doing alright."

She smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, me too."

Nick returned. "All they had was Pepsi Max... is that OK?"

Alex nodded and Brass commented. "Only one calorie; it's almost the same thing."

At Catherine's raised eyebrow, he continued. "What? I drink it too. It helps me maintain my girlish figure."

They all laughed, and Alex sipped her drink. Catherine addressed Alex.

"Are you OK here for a bit? We need to borrow Mr. Stokes for a moment."

"Yeah, of course."

"Don't go away." Catherine looked back at her, only half-joking.

Alex laughed. "You'll have to kick me out."

Nick stared down at her fondly and Catherine smiled, catching him staring. He finally felt her patient gaze and looked up guiltily.

"Yeah... Let's go."

They left the room and Nick watched Alex through the windows as they walked past the room. He felt a surge of worry about leaving her alone again, but he knew deep down she'd be safe in this building, of all places. Alex saw him smile at her through the window one last time before he disappeared.

* * *

"Sawed-off limbs and a blow to the head with a hammer? Sounds like we've got a mad carpenter on our hands." Brass smirked.

Catherine added, "Or a construction worker."

Something was niggling at the back of Nick's mind, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was...

"I didn't see tools in the Meadfield's garage, but that doesn't mean they weren't there."

Catherine hated to be the voice of reason but it had to be said, whether she believed it or not.

"You realize there may be no connection between James Meadfield and this dead girl."

Both Nick and Brass eyed her with skepticism. The detective spoke up.

"Catherine, I saw photos of the woman. I'm willing to bet my salary it isn't just a coincidence that she could be Alex Winter's twin."

Catherine smirked back. "I'm definitely not willing to take _that_ bet. But we can't shut our eyes to other possibilities, that's all I'm saying. We need to go into this with open minds, or we may miss something."

Nick agreed. "No argument there, Catherine. But while we wait for the body to tell us something, we need to explore the avenues we've got."

Brass nodded, and Nick went on. "So, if we continue with the Meadfield line, how does this tie in? I mean, realistically it's not out of the ordinary for people to have tools around."

Suddenly, the nagging thought became clear in his mind. "Especially..."

Brass's mind seemed to click at the same time as Nick's, and he jumped in. "_Especially_ if you're doing_ renovations_."

Nick nodded at the man, his smile increasing. "We need to get a warrant on that apartment."

Brass nodded. "And I've got an idea of how we're going to get it. Catherine, can you get a picture of the dead woman, and have it cleaned up on the computer... make her a little more identifiable?"

Catherine nodded. "I'm on it. Give me abut 15 minutes."

Nick looked eagerly at Brass, who went on to finish describing the plan.

"We're going to split up, see if the girl at the coffee shop can ID her, and the concierge from Turnberry Place. I'll take the concierge."

Brass was going to enjoy putting that fop in the hot seat.

* * *

A little while later Brass headed out, the home address of the concierge in his hand... and from the looks of it, he didn't live in the best part of town. Brass pulled up into his driveway, and noticed that there was a light still on inside.

_Damn, I was hoping to wake him up, catch him off guard_...

He'd just have to have his fun another time.

* * *

Nick and Catherine left the coffee shop, excited by their conversation with Alison.

She was positive that it was the woman she'd seen talking to Meadfield the morning before he was arrested. She'd once again almost mistaken her for Alex in the photo, and Catherine had been quick to correct her before she started to panic. The young woman had still felt guilty, feeling that it had been her fault that she'd sent Meadfield over to speak to the other woman... The two CSI's had been quick to try and convince her it was nobody's fault but the person who committed the crime.

She didn't look happy when they'd left, but there wasn't much they could do.

* * *

Brass's patience was wearing thin with Daniel Turcott.

He'd been momentarily disarmed to be facing Brass again while out of his true element, but he'd quickly regained his poise.

"Officer, I'm not certain why you insist on trying to malign Mr. Meadfield, but this seems to be bordering on harassment."

_Malign_? _This guy was too much_.

Brass pulled out his first photo, a cleaned-up version of the dead woman. "Mr. Turcott, have you ever seen this woman before? Say, at Turnberry Place on Monday morning?"

He saw recognition flicker in the man's eyes, but he didn't answer right away. He looked a little confused, and addressed Brass. "What's this about?

Brass was losing his patience. "Did you see her or not?"

The man was hesitant to answer and seemed to be mentally weighing his options.

_I've had enough of this_.

Brass pulled out the untouched-up image of the battered and broken woman and stuck it in Turcott's face.

"How about _now_? Do you _recognize_ her _now_? Because if she was at the building, and you saw her enter, I need to know _right now_."

The man gaped at the photo in shock, revulsion clearly building on his face.

"If you saw this woman with Meadfield on Monday, then I suggest you tell me now and maybe we can avoid making you an accessory to murder."

That did it. Brass had the satisfaction of seeing the man fold, and he looked at Brass with panic in his eyes.

"Accessory to_ murder_?!!! But, I didn't do anything! They came in early and I did nothing more than smile at them as they made their way into the elevator. I swear I have nothing to do with any murder. I'm just a concierge!"

Brass had him where he wanted him now. He pulled out the less frightening photo and showed it to the man again.

"And this is the woman you saw with him?"

"I think so yes... _yes_, that's her. She looked perfectly happy with him... why would I think..."

The man was crumbling before Brass's eyes. He didn't want to lose him now.

"It's OK man; you're telling me what I need to know. So, he took her up to his place at about what time?"

"It was about 8 am, I think."

"You've done the right thing here, Mr. Turcott. Thank you for your help."

"So, I'm not... I'm not in _trouble_?"

"No, you're fine. Just don't leave town. We may need to talk to you again, get another statement."

Turcott was all smiles and helpfulness now, his relief evident.

"Of course Detective Brass, I'll be willing to help you in any way I can. _Please_ let me know if you need anything else."

Brass smirked at the change in the man. He was singing another song now.

_Sometimes I love my job_...

"We'll be in touch, Mr. Turcott."

He pulled out his cell phone as he headed back to his car, smiling.

_We've got the bastard now_...

_

* * *

_

Nick smiled and nodded happily as he hung up his phone. He and Catherine were just entering the CSI labs. Catherine looked at his smiling face speculatively.

"Brass?"

"Yep." He turned to face Catherine. "The concierge ID'd her as the same woman he'd seen accompanying James Meadfield to his condo Monday morning." He smiled triumphantly. "We got him this time Catherine. We got him."

She smiled back at him and patted his arm as she said, "I'm going to have that warrant as quick as you can say 'busted'. Time me!"

She trotted off towards her own SUV, and Nick headed into the building. He thought he'd just check in on Alex... Suddenly Sara was hailing him down from the other end of the hallway, and he walked to meet her.

"How'd it go Nick?"

He smiled elatedly as he told her the good news and she nodded back happily.

"What about you Sara. Any luck with the woman's identity?"

Sara nodded. "Greg's still running the dental database, but I think I may have something." She showed him a copy of a missing persons report from the night before. "Lisa Albertson was reported missing last night by her mother when she failed to return home in the morning after her night shift.By evening, her mother was worried and reported her missing. The description fits too."

"Have you contacted the mother yet?"

"Yep. She's on her way. David's already cleaning the body, so..."

Sara squirmed a bit. She knew it was the hardest thing in the world to look down at a loved one, inert on a cold sheet of metal. She thanked God she'd never had to do it... and that Nick hadn't been faced with it tonight either.

"Let me know what happens, OK?"

She nodded and he turned and headed back down the hall.

* * *

Nick made his way towards the staff room, and Alex...

He'd felt so scared earlier when he thought he'd lost her. He hadn't wanted to believe it was her, no matter how likely it had seemed; the weight of his own guilt at letting her down would have destroyed him, especially after he'd told her she she'd be safe, that Meadfield was safely behind bars.

He shook his head to clear the direction his thoughts were taking. He wouldn't let her down again. Not a chance.

He walked back into the staff room, and Alex was still awake, watching a bit of late night TV.

"You're still awake?"

She smiled at him. "Yeah, the caffeine helped keep me going. How are you?"

The normalcy of the question threw him off guard. Everything had been so crazy for the last few hours that he almost forgot how to respond.

"Uh, good. I'm good." He laughed. "How are you?"

"I'm good. I feel... safe."

He smiled at her. "I'm glad. And I'm going to keep you that way, I promise. No more screw-ups."

She frowned at him. "You didn't _screw-up,_ Nick. Catherine said that nobody believed he'd get out on bail. It's _nobody's_ fault... Especially not _yours_." She was amazed that he could blame himself after all that he'd done for her.

He grinned at her. He wasn't convinced, but he didn't want her to worry about how he was feeling at a time like this. She had more important things to deal with. "OK. You're right. But I'm still keeping my eye on you, like it or not."

She blushed and smiled, as she felt herself considering his words. She liked the sound of him keeping an eye on her... maybe a little _too much_.

"OK. I don't have a problem with that."

He smiled back at her.

"Good."

Then he looked a bit distressed. "Except that right now I need to speak with Grissom." He looked at her uncomfortably, and she grinned at him.

"It's OK Nick. If I'm not safe here alone, then we've got problems."

He laughed. "Yeah, you're right. Are you OK, though? Do you want something to eat when I come back?"

"No, I had a _massive_ dinner at the Hard Rock. I'm still full." She rubbed her stomach in emphasis and he grinned back.

"OK. I'll be right back."

He went down the hall in search of Grissom, who was sitting at his desk when Nick found him. He gave him the lowdown and Grissom looked pleased. "Excellent. Are they picking him up?"

Nick nodded. "Brass has an APB out to have him picked back up. And as soon as Catherine returns, we're going to head over to process his apartment."

"Let me know when you do. I may join you."

"You got it, boss."

Nick headed back out the door, and Grissom contemplated his back. Nick was always the '_feeler_' of the group, but obviously he had more than just the normal dose of empathy for this woman. He seemed to be getting the job done, however, so he decided not to worry about it. He returned to his report.

* * *

Nick walked down the hallway and saw Sara walking towards him with an older woman who looked vaguely familiar to him, although he wasn't sure why.

Then he realized it was probably the mother of the dead woman, and decided it was likely just a bit of a family resemblance or something. Sara continued past him, looking a bit solemn, understandably, and he returned to the staff room around the corner. He just had to wait on Catherine and the warrant now.

Alex perked up as he returned. "That was fast."

He sat down beside her and stretched his arms over his head. She watched him with growing fondness, and fought back an urge to reach out and caress his shoulder blades to try to help him release some tension. She smiled to herself and looked back at the TV screen.

"Whatcha watching?"

"Um, I don't really know. Some old movie. All I know is that's _one_ unconvincing vampire"

He grinned. "You sure I can't get you something?"

She nodded. "I'm fine, honestly."

An awkward silence formed, and she wondered why it wasn't as easy to sit quietly with him as it had been in the car. Then she realized that the close proximity was probably the issue. He was sitting pretty close to her on the sofa... she felt his leg touching hers, and she couldn't stop the warmth flooding through her body.

She suddenly realized that her bladder was beginning to feel warm too, but for another reason.

"Nick, can you point me to the washroom?"

He got up and nodded. "Follow me."

He walked her outside the room and pointed to a door just across the hallway. "Right over there."

She smiled and made her way inside.

* * *

Sara watched helplessly as the woman in front of her started to break down. Her shoulders started to shake, and she began to sob.

"That's Lisa... that's my... daughter..."

She broke down completely and Sara felt useless.

_How do you console someone when this kind of thing happens_?

Sara gently put an arm on her shoulder and tried to lead her away. The woman shook her off and turned to her.

"_No_! What happened! What happened to _my daughter_! I'm not leaving until you tell me!"

Sara tried to soothe the woman, but knew it was pointless. She'd just lost her child.

"We don't know what happened yet, Mrs. Albertson. But we're going to find out, I promise you."

The woman looked back at her and continued to cry. Sara touched her arm again, and tried to take her from the room once more. This time the woman gave in, disconsolate as Sara walked her out into the hallway.

* * *

As Alex exited the bathroom, she saw Catherine walking towards her from down the hallway with a young man . She smiled at her, but Catherine looked a bit uncomfortable, and Alex frowned. The young man looked up at Alex, and she registered a look of shock crossing his features. She stared back uncertainly, not leaving the doorway.

_What's going on_...?

Just then she heard sobbing coming from the other direction, and she turned to see Sara leading a woman down the hallway from the opposite direction, also towards her. Sara was trying to comfort the woman, but obviously without much success.

Alex shuddered.

_I wonder if that's_...

Just then the woman looked up and, seeing Alex, she stopped. She suddenly looked hopeful and began to move more quickly towards her.

"Lisa? Oh my God, Lisa...?" She stopped again as she stood immediately in front of Alex

Alex didn't know what to say and stood staring blankly back at the woman. Suddenly, she saw the woman's eyes change... a slow fire was building inside her. Alex jerked back slightly as the woman unexpectedly began shouting at her.

"_You_! It's because of _you_ she died, isn't it? Lisa's dead and it's _your_ fault!"

Sara quickly tried to pull the woman away, but she stuggled in her grasp.

"_No_! It should have been _you_!"

Alex's face paled and she felt as though she'd just been punched in the stomach. Her mouth fell open in shock.

The young man with Catherine moved towards the grieving woman.

"Mom, no..." He took her arm and started to lead her away. The woman looked back at Alex as her son led her down the hallway and she shouted again.

"_It should have been you_!"

Alex couldn't breathe for a moment, and Catherine moved toward her, trying to put her hand on Alex's shoulder. Alex flinched and Catherine drew back.

"_Alex_?"

Nick stood at the doorway across the hall, looking deeply concerned. He started to move towards her, and she looked up at him. He hesitated at the look on her face. She looked lost and hurt, and tears were welling up in her eyes.

She let out a small gasp and turned around, disappearing back into the bathroom.


	14. Chapter 14

_**A.N**_: Thanks yet again for all the nice comments. I really, really appreciate the encouragement.

* * *

Catherine watched Nick as he attempted to follow Alex into the ladies bathroom and pulled him up short.

"Uh, _Nick_..."

He stopped and looked at her impatiently, but said nothing.

"Nick, that's the _ladies_ room... let me at least go in first ."

Nick looked ready to argue and then he sighed. He spoke in a small voice.

"OK."

Catherine eased the door open, and saw Alex crouching on her haunches, back against the far wall with her head buried in her arms. She didn't look up when Catherine entered so she couldn't tell if she was crying, but she figured it was highly likely.

She eased her way over, trying to click her shoe heels a little louder on the floor tiles in an attempt to make her presence known. She didn't want to startle her at this point.

"Alex?"

Catherine spoke quietly, and saw Alex's head move slightly within the cradle of her own arms.

"Alex, look... That woman was very upset... she didn't mean what she was saying. You have to know that."

Alex didn't look up.

"I know that if I lost my daughter... I would lash out at anybody I could. It wouldn't be pretty. This woman is in pain, and you were an easy target. It really has nothing to do with you. I'm sure you realize that, right?"

Finally, Alex raised her head, staring up at Catherine, her eyes glassy with welling tears, her expression extremely troubled. A few errant tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I know, Catherine. I know. I understand... She's out of her mind right now. Of course she is."

Catherine waited patiently for her to continue. Alex seemed to be trying her hardest to keep it together.

"The thing is, whether she meant it or not, I can't help but think she's _right_. I think it _was _supposed to be _me_."

The tears were building again and Catherine moved to crouch down in front of her. She put her hand on the side of Alex's leg.

"Alex, you _know_ that's crazy. There's no way you can take the blame for someone else's murder. It has absolutely nothing to do with you. You have no control over the actions of other people and this guy is a _sick_ bastard. But we're going to make him pay for it, OK? For what he did to you _and_ for Lisa Albertson."

Alex looked vaguely surprised. "_Lisa Albertson_...that was her name? The woman who..."

Catherine nodded at her. "It wasn't your fault. It's nobody's fault but _the killer's_. You understand?"

Alex still looked distracted, so Catherine touched her arm again and spoke.

"You _do_ understand what I'm saying, don't you Alex? This wasn't your fault. There's only one person to blame, and we're working on bringing him back in right now. OK?"

Alex found she couldn't shake the guilty feelings entirely, but she realized what Catherine was saying was true. She finally nodded back.

"Yes Catherine. I understand. I know it wasn't my fault. It's just... _it's hard_. It's so unfair. That woman, _Lisa_... she shouldn't have been..."

"No, she _shouldn't_ have been, you're right. But the only thing we can do right now is make sure that he pays for it, OK?"

She nodded back again sorrowfully. "OK."

Then she looked at Catherine, suddenly a little more hopeful again. "You're bringing him back in?"

Catherine latched on to the optimism of the moment and nodded.

"We've got an arrest warrant out on him right now, and I have another warrant right here to search for more evidence we suspect may be out there." She pulled some papers from her inside jacket pocket. "If we're lucky, he won't be getting out on bail again. Not _this_ time."

Alex smiled a bit. "OK."

She looked sad again for a moment, but Catherine noted the tears weren't reforming at least. "What can I do, Catherine? I feel like I should do something to help..."

"Alex, just be prepared to testify when this goes to trial. That's the most important part- that he gets put away for a very long time."

Alex looked disappointed, but nodded. "I'll be there. Whatever they need from me."

Catherine smiled and looked back at the doorway, knowing Nick was probably waiting impatiently outside.

"You ready to get out of here? It's a nice bathroom and all, but..." She patted Alex's knee and stood back up

Alex grinned slightly and stood as well. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm ready... I just want to clean myself up a bit..."

She walked towards the sinks, and Catherine moved to the door, opening it a crack.

"OK. I'll see you in a minute."

She saw Nick standing where she'd expected him to be- just outside the door. She smiled.

"I think we may have an illegal trespasser in here in a moment, though..."

Nick looked up, encouraged by Catherine's grin and poked his head in the door. Alex was splashing some water on her eyes.

"Hey there."

She looked up in surprise, but couldn't stop herself from smiling at him. "_Hi_."

He made his way inside and grabbed some paper towels from the dispenser. He handed them to her as he reached her.

"You OK?"

The concern in his gaze warmed her insides as usual, and she itched to walk straight back into his arms again.

"Yeah.... I'll be OK. I guess I just got a little freaked out."

He smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry that happened to you Alex. That woman was... distraught. She didn't realize what she was saying..."

"I know. It's not her fault... And I'm under control now."

She looked back at her appearance in the mirror, and Nick standing behind her.

_And I'm sick of this stupid bandage_...

She reached up and pulled the bandage from her forehead. The cut still looked a little tender underneath, but so what.

_It'll heal_. _And so will I_.

She turned around. "I'm thinking we should get out of here. _You _should anyway. I wouldn't want you to get busted in here."

He laughed. "Ah, it's nothing I haven't seen before. I've done the ladies room circuit."

She raised her eyebrows a bit and he grinned.

"As a kid. Sisters, remember? Many, many sisters."

"Right, I forgot."

They moved to the door and Alex looked at him as they exited. "Just how many sisters...?"

She stopped mid-question. The young man that Catherine had been with earlier stood outside the door, a frown on his face. Catherine stood beside him.

_Oh man, I don't think I can take another_...

He started to speak.

"Miss, I just wanted to apologize to you for... for what my mother said to you. She... she's just really upset. About my sister. She didn't mean it." He sighed and rubbed his face in obvious despair. "She knows it's not your fault that my sister... died. She just... well, you look so much like her. It was a bit of a shock."

Alex felt her heart go out to the poor man, but was afraid she'd cry again if she spoke. She nodded to him, trying her best to smile her understanding, but the tears were welling up again.

_Dammit_.

He started to turn back down the hallway. He nodded at her again sadly, and then started to walk away. Alex felt the helplessness returning again and managed to call out to him.

"Wait." He stopped and turned back. She fought back her tears. "I'm sorry... _I'm so sorry_."

He nodded sadly again. "Thank you."

And he turned and made his way back down the hallway. Alex watched him leave and was surprised to feel anger creep back in on her.

_That bastard needs to seriously pay for this_.

She turned to look at the two people regarding her, and Nick was surprised to note a new look behind her eyes. What was it? Maybe... _determination_? There seemed to be more than a small amount of ire there as well...

He put his hand on her arm lightly. "Do you want to sit down? Go back to the staff room?"

She blew out a stream of air and nodded yes. He led her back over to the room and watched her flop down on the sofa.

"Why don't you try and get some sleep?"

She didn't know if she'd be able to stop her mind from racing, but she smiled up at him anyway.

"Yeah. That sounds like an idea. Is it OK ifI just...?"

"Yeah, just make yourself at home here. You've got the blanket."

He looked back at Catherine questioningly, and she smiled and raised the familiar blue-covered papers.

"Catherine and I have some things to check out, but nobody will mind you sleeping here."

"Thanks. I'll be fine. Go ahead."

He fought back the urge to lean over and kiss her. He moved a strand of hair away from the cut on her forehead instead.

"OK. We'll see you in a while."

Catherine smiled at her too, and then they made their way out the door. Nick flicked off the lights and closed the door on his way out.

Alex lay down and pulled the blanket over herself.

_I don't know if I'm going to be able to sleep_...

* * *

A Denali containing Catherine, Greg, and Nick pulled out of the parking lot. Greg looked excited.

"So, if I'm coming in _Grissom's_ place, does that mean I get to boss you guys around?"

"Why don't you try it and see what happens, Greg?" Catherine smiled back at him sweetly, Nick nodding his amused agreement in the rearview mirror.

"Yeah, give it a shot Sanders. There's no harm in trying."

When they reached the front drive-circle of Turnberry Place, Brass walked over to their vehicle. "Hey kids. No one's home here."

"Cool. So we can process?" Catherine went to the back and began pulling out her box of equipment.

"Yep. And I don't think you'll be disappointed." Brass smiled encouragingly.

* * *

As Nick looked out from the bedroom closet, he called out to Greg, who was just passing the door. He moved back into sight.

"Yeah?"

"When you went through James Meadfield's shoes from the estate home, you didn't match the tread print to any of them, did you?"

"Nope. I think they were from a hiking boot or something. He didn't have anything like that."

"How about these?" Nick held up a pair of brown leather boots, and knocked on the toes. "Steel toes, too. He probably has them here for the renoes."

Greg grinned. "Cool." He looked at the tread. "I stared at that tread print for so long, I'm almost ready to confirm that these match right here... but I'll wait til I get back to the lab."

Nick laughed. "Probably a good idea." He stood up from his crouching position in the closet. "You find anything?"

"Just these." He reached outside the door and returned with a hammer in one hand and a hack saw in another.

"_Nice_. They look like they've been cleaned. Have you had a chance to...?"

"That's where I was headed. My box with the luminol is at the front."

Nick nodded happily and headed out of the bedroom. He'd already found stains on the bed, and was hoping they belonged to the victim, Lisa Albertson. Apparently the person who'd likely raped her had used a condom, but that wouldn't have prevented her fluids on the sheets.

Catherine was talking to Brass, who was showing her the photo album he'd noticed when he'd originally entered the apartment. Pictures of Alex Winters, friends, family and pets smiled up at them.

"There look to be a couple missing in the middle here, but that could just be coincidence." Catherine told Nick as he approached them. "She could have pulled them out herself."

"I'll check with her when we get back." Nick nodded.

"Yes!"

The trio turned towards an exultant Greg near the entrance. He flashed a big smile and waved the hammer.

"We've got blood, on both the hammer and the saw."

Catherine smiled and looked at Nick. "This time, there will be no bail."

Nick nodded and smiled back.

"_Damn right_ there won't be."

* * *

Greg moved around the room, looking for places that looked to have been cleaned recently. The dust from the renovations made it easier.

"Greg. Over here." Nick indicated a spot just between the kitchen and dining area. There was plastic tarp over most of the area, but this area was lacking tarp. "Spray all around here... do up on the tarp beside too."

Greg began to spray the area and Nick turned off the light.

"Oh _man_." Greg shook his head in wonder. On either side of the empty space, there was evidence of large pools of blood that someone had tried to clean up. Greg sprayed some more on either end of the section, and was amazed to see some splatter running up the tarp covering the dining table, just above the bare section.

Greg looked at the bottle in his hand. "_Damn_ this stuff's _amazing_."

Catherine looked over the scene. "OK. So he must have laid her down here... she was probably already beaten senseless by that time..."

Nick nodded grimly, looking at the splatter pattern. "Let's hope. Maybe even unconscious if she was lucky."

Catherine continued. "Then he hit her on the head with the hammer, and it was all over. He cut off her hand and her arm here, judging by the way that blood pooled... Then he wrapped her in the tarp that used to be here and dumped her in the desert."

She paused, looking as though something was still troubling her. "But why did he cut off her hand and her arm?"

"Maybe to make her fit into something? So he could get her out of here discretely?"

She nodded. "Maybe. But then why did he slice that bit off her lower back?"

Nick shook his head, uncertain. "You got me."

Greg looked at them skeptically. "Can you guys ever figure out just why these psychos do this stuff anyway? I mean, really understand it?"

Catherine shrugged and Nick shook his head. "Who knows, man? Who knows."

One of the officers that came with Brass returned.

"They have no video tape of this floor. In fact, none of the cameras are up and running yet. That's why they already have the concierges working, despite the fact that so few people are actually living in the building yet."

Catherine heaved a sigh.

"Figures." She looked at Nick. "Well, I'm going to start looking for traces of... anything, at all of the possible exit ways."

"Sounds good. I'm thinking I'll take these samples back to the labs for comparison. Did you get that mould of the hammer wound?"

"Sara was on it. She should have it by now."

"Cool. I'll leave Greg to help you out. Brass can bring you back."

The older man saluted him and finished a cell phone conversation. He looked at the three CSI's.

"No sign of Meadfield yet. Not at the estate, not at his office, not here..."

Nick made his way out of the building and back to the Denali, with only one thing still troubling him:

_Where the hell is James Meadfield_?

* * *

Alex had managed to finally fall asleep, but she'd had to turn on the radio to combat the noises inside her head. She hadn't had the benefit of a dreamless sleep this time though, and she suddenly jerked awake, heart pounding as the image of a knife descending towards her pulled her from sleep.

_God_...

She sat up and ran a hand through her hair.

_That was so_... _real_.

She caught her breath, and tried to calm herself. As her heart began to slow down, she got up and grabbed a paper cup from the counter and poured herself some water. She tried to compose herself.

_It was just a dream_... _you're safe here_...

She finally felt that the terror had passed, and lay back down, looking at the dimly lit clock on the far wall. 3 am.

_Sleep_. _You need sleep_.

She tried to think of something nice to ease her back into sleep, and a pair of brown eyes came to mind. She smiled to herself and began to fall back to sleep.

* * *

Nick went straight to the DNA lab when he returned and dropped off his samples. He also dropped the photo album off at the print lab and moved down the corridor. He found Sara Sidle at a lab desk, looking under a microscope.

"Sar. Whatcha got there?"

"A nicely defined mould from the head wound. Tell me you have a nicely defined hammer head for me to match it to?"

He grinned and held it out.

"Nice. Let's take a look."

She placed her mould over the end of the hammer and it appeared to fit exactly.

"Well that looks good. Let's just do a double check."

She examined them both for about a minute at magnified resolution.

"Mr. Stokes, we are in business. Take a look."

Nick looked through the lens.

_A perfect match_. _Yes_...

* * *

Alex turned gently in her sleep as Nick peered through the blinds at her. She appeared to be sleeping comfortably, and he felt a sense of relief. Finally, the end was in sight. Once they had Meadfield in custody, Alex's life could begin to get back to normal, he hoped.

He opened the door and quietly approached her sleeping form on the sofa. He smiled as he heard the quiet sounds of the oldies rock station drifting through the air. Nick hummed quietly along with The Rolling Stones about _Angie_, and then he leaned down and carefully pulled the blanket up to cover her a little better.

She stirred and turned over slowly, her eyes flickering open slowly. His breath caught in his throat as she recognized him and gave him a sleepy smile. He smiled back and felt his heart beating faster.

"Hi."

She continued to smile at him and he felt some familiar urges coming into play. She looked so cute laying there on the sofa.

"_Hi_ yourself. I'm sorry I woke you. I was just covering you back up..."

She spoke through a yawn. "That's OK. What time is it?"

She started to sit up, and he sat down beside her on the edge of the sofa.

"No, don't get up- it's still early. You can sleep a little longer."

There faces were close, as two pairs of brown eyes darkened by the dimly lit room stared at each other. Nick gulped and tried to speak.

"It's... its only 4:30."

Alex felt her pulse racing as she stared back at Nick, sitting so close, facing her... She opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out.

Nick watched her lips part and couldn't take his eyes off them. He swallowed again, his temperature seeming to rise with every passing scond. Alex felt her eyes similarly drawn to his mouth...

And then Sara opened the door and walked into the room, hesitating at the door. "Guys? Is this a good time? Sorry, I saw you were awake through the blinds..."

"Yeah, it's cool. What do you have Sara?" Nick stood up quickly and walked over to the light switch. "Watch your eyes, Alex."

"_Uh_... got it." She squinted her eyes in preparation for full lighting and sat back.

_What just happened there_? _I thought_...

He cringed inwardly.

_Oh man_. _I don't know what I was thinking_...

He fought to calm his racing heart.

Sara began, eagerly. "So, I took a look at that footprint Greg had and it _definitely_ matches the boot you found. But that's not the best part. I pulled prints from both the hammer and the saw and they both match James Meadfield."

Sara's eyes were shining with excitement. She looked so pleased that his annoyance at her sudden interruption quickly dissipated.

_Annoyance_? _Interruption_?

He considered this for a second.

_But what the hell was she interrupting_...?

He looked back at Alex guiltily, and noticed a frown on her face.

_Uh Oh_...

"Um, Alex... Sara and I'll be right back. We need to talk to Grissom."

Sara looked confused and then clued in. "Yeah. We'll be right back."

Out in the hallway, Sara grimaced.

"I'm sorry Nick. I shouldn't have mentioned that stuff in front of Alex. I wasn't thinking. I hope she doesn't put two and two together..."

Nick raised his eyebrows. "I'm pretty sure that she has, actually. It's OK though, Sara. Don't worry about it. It'll be fine."

Sara continued to look unimpressed with herself.

"I wasn't thinking. I guess I'm just getting too used to having her around."

Nick nodded, but said nothing.

_He knew exactly how she felt_...


	15. Chapter 15

Catherine dusted one of the back entrances for prints, surprised at how few there actually were.

_Well, Meadfield's will be easier to locate if they're here_...

Her thoughts trailed off as she caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of her eye. There was a tiny piece of plastic caught in the door jam. As Catherine gently extricated it, she noted that there was some sort of substance on it... some sort of _red _substance.

As she placed it in a bindle, she felt a chill run down her spine. She turned to look behind her with concern, feeling as though she was being watched. The officer just inside the door poked his head outside.

"How're you doing here? Any luck?"

Catherine turned back to look at him. "Um, yeah. I've found a piece of plastic that could be from the tarp. And possibly some blood..." She looked back around the area behind the building and shivered again. "Let's get out of here."

They went back inside and headed back up to the apartment.

* * *

Alex sat on the sofa thinking about what she'd just heard Sara say.

_A hammer and a saw with James Meadfield's fingerprints_... _What did that mean_? _Why would a hammer and a saw be important_?

But deep down she knew. She remembered Nick's response when she'd asked him if Lisa Albertson's death was bad.

"_Yeah it is_."

A minute ago, she'd been contemplating what had just happened between her and Nick. They'd seemed so close to... _something_.

But now she felt nauseated as her mind began to create images of what she imagined the poor woman must have gone through. As she tried to fight them back, a chill remained, and she pulled the blanket close again. Then suddenly, new images began to form in her brain. She could picture Lisa's mother and brother in her mind, both looking devastated by their loss.

And just as suddenly, she knew what she had to do.

* * *

Nick and Sara stood in Grissom's office and Sara seemed to be having an epiphany.

"Guys, I just thought of something....I'll be right back." She dashed from the room.

Nick smiled at Grissom. "A Sara moment."

Grissom nodded back. "Well, it looks like all we need is the man himself. Any word on his whereabouts yet?"

Nick shook his head no. "Brass says they've come up dry everywhere they've checked. And his Jaguar is sitting safely in the family garage, so wherever he is, someone either drove him or he's got some new wheels."

Nick secretly hoped that he was on his way out of the country, but he had a gnawing suspicion that he wasn't. That would almost have been too easy.

Grissom seemed to be considering the possibility as well. "He may be long gone Nick."

Nick looked at the older man with skepticism. "Do you really believe that?"

Grissom smiled his usual enigmatic smile and shrugged. "Anything's possible." He looked a little harder at Nick now. The younger man was looking a little worn around the edges. "And I'm thinking you're about due for your days off..."

"Gris, I can't quit until all this is finished up..."

"What's left to finish up? You've got all the evidence you need to put the guy away. All that remains is for him to be arrested. I'm afraid that's not our department."

Nick sighed.

_Yeah_, _true enough_. _But I don't want to do anything until I know Alex is completely safe_.

Catherine and Greg appeared in the doorway. Catherine looked pleased.

"Gentlemen. I think our job here is done. I'm just on my way to drop off another sample from Turnberry Place. A possible scrap ripped off from the tarp as he made his way out of the back door with the body. I'm going to match it up with the piece you found the body wrapped in. And I think it's got a little blood sample for our never ending evidence files as well. This guy is going _down_." Catherine smiled as she finished.

Greg piped in. "And I'm taking some more prints to the lab."

Grissom nodded and looked up to Nick, an expression on his face that seemed to be saying, _See_? _Your job is done_.

Nick smiled back half-heartedly.

_OK then_. _What now_?

* * *

Sara returned just as the discussion in Grissom's office was winding down. She had another big smile on her face and Grissom spoke up first.

"Please Sara. Don't keep us in suspense."

She nodded happily. "I just got off the phone with Lisa Albertson's brother, David. He said that Lisa had a number of tattoos... one of which was on her lower back." She looked at the others with a self-satisfied grin. "Take a guess where the other 2 were?"

Grissom smiled up at her. _Way to go Sara_...

"I'm thinking on her upper left arm and somewhere in the region of her right hand?"

Sara nodded excitedly. "Yep. She had a Celtic band on her upper left arm and the Chinese symbol for peace at the base of the back of her right hand..." Sara showed the back of her own hand as an example "...just above the wrist..."

"And just below where he sawed off her hand." Catherine finished. "Nice work Sara. What made you chase that idea up?"

She shrugged, still smiling. "I don't know. I was remembering a friend's tattoo of a sun on her lower back for some reason. Anyway, something tweaked in my mind."

Grissom spoke again. "So the killer wasn't taking souvenirs. He was trying to make a _copy_."

Nick nodded unhappily. "Yeah. A copy of _Alex_."

Catherine nodded. "That makes sense. I didn't notice that she had any tattoos. At least none that are visible. If the killer wanted her to look more like Alex..."

Nick nodded, considering the idea. Meadfield barely knew her, so chances are that even if she did have a hidden tattoo, he wouldn't know about it.

He felt an unexpected chill run down his spine as he abruptly recalled Nigel Crane... the guy had been watching his every move from the attic in his own home... He sometimes still got the occasional shiver when he heard a routine creaking noise in his house.

He pushed the thoughts away... Anyway, Alex's place was in the style of a concrete box, with no attic or ceiling access. They'd already checked it out thoroughly.

Greg shook his head. "This is one sick dude."

Catherine nodded. "That's an understatement."

* * *

Brass was heading for Grissom's office when he noticed Alex alone in the staff room. He backed up and poked his head through the door. She stood leaning against the counter, deep in thought and didn't even seem to notice he was there.

"Alex?"

She looked up and slowly smiled. "Detective Brass. How's it going?"

"I was just going to ask you the same thing... you looked to be thinking pretty hard on something."

"Yeah, I guess I was."

In truth, she'd been practising how she was going to tell them her plan... figuring out how to convince them that she knew what she was doing, even if she wasn't completely sure that she did know.

"Actually, maybe you can help me... is my condo off-limits again?"

"No, not exactly. We do have a man watching it for signs of the suspect. And it probably doesn't hurt since Nick and another officer broke the door down. Your front door won't be locked right now..."

Alex frowned. She hadn't known about the door. Her poor landlord...

O_h well_. _He said he was covered_.

"So then, I can go home?"

Brass looked at her in surprise and finally came all the way into the room to face her. "You mean to pick up some more things?"

"No... to move back in."

Brass raised his eyebrows in disbelief. "Alex, I don't know if that's such a good idea... at least not until we pick James Meadfield back up."

"Look, Detective... I'm well aware of the risks. But it's only taken me the last few days of moving around to know that I'm over it."

"Alex, I think it would be a much better idea if you stayed in the safe house again, at least for a few days."

"And if you don't catch him in a few days? Then what?"

He stared at her but couldn't think of anything to say, and she continued.

"This isn't just some stupid plan to lure him out of hiding, trust me. I don't have a death wish. And I'm so far from being brave it's not funny. But I'm also tired of living my life based on the actions of a murderer. If you don't catch him right away, I'm stuck biding my time in some safe house, wondering when I'll get my life back."

He still watched her with dismay.

She shrugged her shoulders. "And if I go home, there'll be police there right? So, if he _does_ come looking for me, they'll be there anyway. If by some chance this gets him out in the open, you can catch him and I can stop sitting around wondering if he's lurking in every shadow, waiting for me, waiting for his chance."

Brass looked unconvinced. "_Alex_..."

"No, detective... This is an opportunity for _both_ of us. But make no mistake, I'm doing this for selfish reasons. I'm doing it for _myself_."

Brass couldn't give up trying to dissuade her from this crazy idea. "Alex, I understand what you're saying, but despite the fact that I would have a couple guys watching the place, there's no way I could absolutely guarantee your safety. I'm not willing to take that chance, I'm sorry."

"If you were in my position, would you be willing to sit around waiting for someone to get to you, detective? Honestly?" She wasn't going to give this up.

"It's a different thing entirely, Alex. I'm trained for this kind of thing."

"OK, then let me ask you this... Can you really stop me? Is it your decision to make- if I go home or not?"

Brass chewed the inside of his lip and she knew she had him. He responded carefully.

"No. I can't stop you. But I can strongly recommend that you reconsider."

He looked downright uncomfortable now. Alex felt badly for putting him in this position; she knew he was just trying to do his job and keep her safe, but she also knew she couldn't keep running around trying to stay one step ahead of a madman. Enough was enough.

"So, when can you take me back?"

* * *

"What? He sprained his thumb playing _Playstation_?"

Nick looked unbelievingly at Greg as they left the print lab with yet more evidence against James Meadfield.

"Yep. He just picked up _Syphon Filter_: _The Omega Strain_. He couldn't put it down."

"This is not good. We need Archie for baseball." Nick looked displeased.

"He's good?"

Nick nodded. "He may not look that powerful, but the guy can crack 'em out of the park." He shook his head. "Maybe I can convince him to play through the pain..."

"Nick?"

Nick paused and looked back down the hallway towards Grissom, who stood in the doorway of his office. Brass stood beside him.

Greg kept walking. "I'll catch up with you later, man."

Nick nodded and headed towards the two men. "What's up?"

He definitely didn't like the look on Brass's face right now...

_Now what_?

He looked at them questioningly and Brass jumped right in.

"Alex Winters is going back to her apartment."

He looked back at him, confused. "What for? Does she want to get some more stuff before she goes to the..."

Brass cut him off. "She's not going to the safe house again. She wants to go home _to stay_."

Panic surged through Nick's veins.

"_What_? Whose idea was this? Brass, you can't seriously think you can use her as _bait_..." He was getting angrier by the second.

"Nick, it wasn't my idea. She insisted. And I tried to talk her out of it, but she wasn't listening. Her mind is set."

Nick looked back at him, disbelief washing over his face. "That's the craziest thing I've ever..."

The rest was lost as he headed down the hall towards the staff room.

Grissom looked at a concerned Brass and shrugged. The two slowly made their way down the hall after their quickly retreating colleague.

* * *

Alex looked up as Nick burst into the room.

_Uh oh, here we go_...

"Alex, what's this all about? You can't go back there until we have Meadfield behind bars..."

"What? Like last time?"

She immediately regretted her words as she saw a look of guilt and pain cross Nick's face.

"Nick... I'm sorry... I didn't mean that to sound like... I don't blame you for that. Not at all. I owe you my life, and I would trust you with it again in a _second_."

He regarded her seriously. "Then trust me with it _now_ and go to the safe house. Don't put yourself at risk by going back to your condo."

She shook her head no.

He looked at her anxiously. "_Why_, Alex? Why can't you just wait until..."

"Nick I'm tired of waiting. I want to go home. I'm sick and tired of this guy determining what I do. I'm not going to sit around and wait for him to make a move anymore."

Nick moved in closer and put his hands on her shoulders, looking at her hard. She gulped and tried to look away, but he put his hand on her chin and made her look him in the eyes. He spoke slowly and carefully.

"Tell me you're not doing this because of what happened tonight. Tell me you're not doing this because of _Lisa Albertson_, or her _family_."

She felt angry tears forming in her eyes and she tried to look away. Nick let her chin go, but still stood close, looking down into her face. She felt like he could see into her mind and it was more than a little disconcerting. It took everything she had to look him in the eye and respond.

"_I'm doing it for me_, _Nick_. I'm doing it for _me_."

He continued to stare down into her eyes and she felt as if she might cave in at any moment. And then behind him, Brass and Grissom entered the room, and she felt him give her one last look before he turned around. And that glance almost broke her heart. He looked as if she'd betrayed him somehow. But she felt silently grateful for the arrival of the two men... she wasn't sure if she could have held it together much longer.

As Nick looked at the other two men, he noted the chagrined look on Brass's face that seemed to say '_I told you so'_. Grissom looked at Nick and recognized that he'd slipped into a state beyond weariness. He looked about as hangdog as they came.

Alex tried to compose herself. "Can you take me now, detective?"

He nodded unenthusiastically and she looked as if she was going to leave immediately. Grissom looked at Nick and raised his eyebrows. "Nick?"

Nick looked back dejectedly. "Yeah?"

Catherine suddenly appeared behind Grissom as he questioned Nick. "I'm thinking you're on days off now, _aren't you_?" He looked at him pointedly.

Nick looked back at his boss, surprised at the implication he thought the man was trying to make. "Yeah, I am."

Grissom only smiled in response, and Nick looked somewhat more confident than he had a moment before. He turned back to her.

"Let's go Alex. I'm taking you home."

Alex appeared confused and looked at Brass, but he just shrugged in response. She looked up at Nick and saw a resolve there that she didn't know what to make of... and which she also decided not to question.

"Um.... OK."

Brass headed for the doorway first, squeezing past Catherine. "I'll make sure the guys do a thorough run- through before we get there."

Nick nodded and looked at Alex. Again, he didn't look happy, but he seemed to be accepting everything at least. She nodded again and they left the staff room.

Catherine looked at Grissom and smiled. He looked back at her innocently.

"What?"

She gave him a pat on the shoulder, grinning as she moved past him towards the coffee maker.

"Nothing."

He smiled slightly and returned to his office.

* * *

After a brief stop at Nick's locker, they went outside and walked to the Denali. Brass sat waiting in his car close by, keeping an eye on them.

Despite the tension between them, Nick still took the time to open the door for Alex and help her into her seat. Somehow that just made her feel worse. She felt as if she'd let him down somehow, but didn't know what she'd done.

She knew he was upset because he thought she was taking a stupid risk, but it seemed to be something more than just that. It was almost as if he was taking it all _personally_. She remained quiet as he climbed in and started up the SUV.

_I'm doing the right thing, aren't I_? _Why is Nick so pissed off at me_?

She desperately wanted to say something, to break the awkward silence... but no words would come, and she gazed out the window beside her sadly.

Nick drove the entire way back to Alex's condo wiithout even noticing that he was driving. His thoughts were frantic and worried, and he tried to consider every possible way he could protect her.

_If anything happened to her_...

He quickly supressed the thought.

_No_. _It's not going to happen_._ I'll make sure of it_.

They pulled up across the street from the condo and parked. Brass did the same and came up to Alex's door and helped her out.

"We've got the all clear. Go ahead inside."

Alex started to walk with him around the car towards the front door and Nick appeared beside her. She stopped and looked up at him, wanting to thank him for all the trouble he'd gone to for her. He touched her arm lightly though and directed her to continue inside. Brass stopped at the front door to talk with the officer on duty as they went inside.

She turned to look at Nick. "Nick, I... I just wanted to thank you before you go... for everything. I really don't..."

"I'm not going anywhere, Alex." He looked calmly back at her.

She felt confused again. "What do you mean? I thought..."

"I'm staying with you. If you're going to risk staying here, then I'm staying with you."

She noticed the duffle bag he had as he dropped it to the living room floor. She gazed back at him in surprise.

"But Nick, I... You don't have to do that. I never meant that you should..."

"Alex, I told you I wasn't letting you out of my sight again and I _meant_ it. I'm staying here until I know you're safe."

She was dumbfounded. She couldn't believe how amazing he was... that he would do that for her.

"But... you're off-duty now aren't you? I heard Mr. Grissom say..."

"Yeah, I'm on my own time. So I have nowhere else that I need to be." He looked at her sternly. "I'm not leaving Alex, so don't try and make me go. I can play the _stubborn_ _game_ just as well as you, if not better."

She felt tears well up in her eyes and she looked up at him, trying to keep a reign on her emotions. She felt so relieved that for a moment she couldn't bring herself to speak. She knew she was being selfish, that it wasn't fair to put him in such a dangerous position, that she'd taken this on herself and that's how it should remain, but... she couldn't help wanting him to stay.

She spoke softly. "I don't want you to leave, Nick."

She looked up at him nervously, uncertain how he'd react to such an honest statement.

He didn't speak for a moment, but looked at her intensely. Then he reached out and pushed a piece of her hair behind her ear again. He moved closer and slowly wrapped his arms around her, holding her gently but firmly. He whispered into her hair.

"I'm _glad_."


	16. Chapter 16

**_A.N_**: Oh, _forensicsfan_, you busted me! I was hoping nobody had noticed that I'd forgotten to justify the fingerprint from Lauren. I'd actually hatched an elaborate plan involving Sara getting a brochure from her about the organization, but I forgot to include it. And even then, I don't know if that would still be legit in a court of law... anyway, thanks for allowing it!

To the rest of you, I appreciate your patience. I know I'm working my way slowly through this story, but I've never been one for the quick romances... I like my characters to get to know each other before they get all sweaty and sexed-up. Personality is the biggest turn on for me, truly. Heads up- this is a long one! And we may be moving into some 'R" material here, slowly... ;)

* * *

Nick held Alex tight, feeling that if he could just hold on to her, she'd be safe. He was surprised again at how right she felt in his arms, like she was made to be there. He didn't really understand it, but he couldn't deny it anymore. There was something between them, and he desperately wanted to...

W_hat_? _Tell her about it_? _Take her out to dinner_? _Kiss her into tomorrow_?

And now they were sitting at ground zero, hoping this psycho didn't show up. He sighed and she moved back from his arms, frowning. He looked down at her.

"This is a very _bad_ idea."

He wasn't entirely certain if he meant the two of them being there was a bad idea, or if him being alone with her was. She started to reply but he cut her off.

"But we're in it together. I'm going to make sure nothing goes wrong."

She gave him a half-smile. "Thank you Nick... for being here. I feel sort of bad, though... putting you in this position."

He tried to make light of it, not wanting to start another argument. The truth was, he was more concerned about her putting herself into this position, but...

"Ah, maybe I'll get a chance to be the hero... wear the white cowboy hat. Chicks dig that, don't they?"

She couldn't help but laugh and she nodded. "Yeah, that and _scars_."

Brass came inside and started examining the door. "I think the deadbolt might still work. The rest of the frame is shot, but the deadbolt still mostly slides in and stays there. It's something at least."

Nick nodded. "That's good. So what's the set-up?"

"Shelley's out back and Franklin is going to be sitting in his car across the street in front. There'll be unmarked patrols driving around the area at regular intervals as well. If he's stupid enough to show up, he'll be picked up instantly."

Nick felt a little more encouraged and tried to shake the unease that sat annoyingly at the back of his mind. It seemed like everything was in place. And with him staying here, she'd definitely be safe.

Brass nodded towards Nick's hip as he readied to leave. "You have your weapon?"

Nick nodded and Alex felt a moment of apprehension, but suppressed it quickly. Guns would be a necessity at this point, she knew that. She'd just never been around hand guns, and she had to admit they made her nervous. She let it go.

_I trust Nick_. _It'll be fine_.

Brass checked his watch and smiled benignly at them both.

"Well kids, it's been fun." He looked hard at Nick for a moment. "Be careful, my friend."

Nick nodded. "I will, Jim. Don't worry."

The detective gave them a last tight smile and left. Nick went over to the door and locked the deadbolt. It wasn't perfect, but it should hold if anyone tried to open the door. He turned back to look at Alex. She grinned at him nervously, with a '_what do we do now_?' look on her face, and he smiled back.

"You got anything to eat in this place?"

* * *

Sara checked the last of the results. The blood from the floor and the stains from the bed in Meadfield's apartment matched the victim. With the concierge confirming seeing the couple, and his prints on the hammer in addition to all the other evidence they'd accumulated, it was open and shut as far as she was concerned.

Grissom poked his head in the laband looked at her fondly. "Sara. Go home."

She looked up and smiled wearily. "You got it boss."

Once they had him in custody, this would all be over. She headed for the locker room, and then home for a well-deserved sleep.

* * *

Nick flipped the pancakes expertly in the fry pan and Alex laughed. "Wow, you're _good_ at this."

He took a half-bow. "Thank you, madam. I'm here to serve."

She smiled and got out some plates and cutlery. It was amazing how easily they'd settled into a comfortable routine together. _It was almost as if_...

She broke off from thoughts of domesticity and true love and pulled some maple syrup out of the cupboard.

He snatched it from her fingers. "What do we have here?"

She stared at him, amused. "Is it up to standards, Master Chef?"

He nodded his approval, speaking ostentatiously. "I'm familiar with the quality of Canadian maple syrup. It's of the highest standard."

She grabbed it back from his hands. "Damned straight it is."

He laughed and she handed him another plate for the pancakes. The tasty smell was driving her crazy. She hadn't realized how hungry she'd become until he'd started cooking.

"Are they done yet? Huh? Are they? Are they ready?" She hopped around him, trying to be her most annoying and he laughed.

"You're a very strange woman." His eyes twinkled.

She put on her saddest expression and worked up a nice, grating whine in her voice.

"But I'm so _hungryyyyyy_. _C'mon_..."

He laughed harder and shook his head.

"Woman, sit down and stop hassling me. Don't make me beat upon you with this spatula." He held it aloft as a threat.

She gave an exaggerated sigh and sat petulantly at the kitchen table. He grinned at her and she couldn't help but smile, ruining her spoiled-child act.

"Oh, do you like butter on yours?"

She stood back up as he nodded and headed to the fridge. "I don't put it on myself. I'm a purist. Just pancakes and syrup alone, the way God intended them."

He chuckled. "Well, I hope I don't burn in hell for a bit of butter. Don't report me or anything."

She sneaked another look over his shoulder as she walked by, and he turned on her again, spatula held high. She jumped back in alarm, giggling.

"I'm _warning_ you, lady...sit down now and wait patiently, or I won't be responsible for my actions."

She held up her hands in defeat and backed slowly towards the table, the tray of butter in her hand.

"Jeeze. You think you'd be flattered that I'm so keen to eat your cooking..."

He grinned at her and nodded. "When you live in a house with 7 kids, you learn how to be patient when it comes to getting your food."

She looked up in shock. "Seven? Your poor mother! I know you mentioned having a lot of sisters, but...?"

"Yep, 5 of them, and 1 brother. And I'm the youngest."

"Wow. That's impressive. Where in Texas did you grow up again?"

"Dallas." He loaded up the pancakes and made his way to the table.

She couldn't take her eyes off them and Nick grinned. "Here, allow me."

He unloaded 2 pancakes onto her plate, and then did the same for himself, sitting down. He put a dollop of butter on own and then watched with amusement as Alex poured a very generous amount of syrup all over hers.

"Hmmm. Think you got enough syrup there? I think you left a spot bare over there..." He leaned over and pointed to an area with his fork.

She smacked his fork lightly away with hers, looking at him with a mixture of indignation and humour.

"Hey, just stick to your own food there, buddy. I'm not harassing you about putting the _demon_ butter on yours, am I?"

They laughed and began eating contentedly. Alex groaned her appreciation, and tried to speak despite her full mouthful. "Oh..._man_. These are..."

She stopped herself before the word _orgasmic_ came out of her mouth. She blushed and tried to think of a better choice. She swallowed and spoke again.

"_Magnificent_. These are the best pancakes I think I've _ever_ had."

He grinned back at her and spoke between mouthfuls. "Well, when you're good, you're good."

Alex laughed. "And so _modest_ too."

He nodded again, grinning back.

"Yep, I'm the most amazingly modest person I know!" They both laughed a little harder this time, and then Alex looked back at her plate.

"OK then... less talking, more eating."

She smiled at him and got back to her pancakes. He chuckled and did the same.

Alex sighed contentedly and Nick looked at her happily, assuming she was enjoying the food. They were great pancakes, but she was more happy about how wonderful this morning had turned out to be, especially after such a troubled start.

Once she and Nick had hit the kitchen, things had become much more relaxed. She found herself feeling more at ease with him then ever. It felt like they'd known each other forever, and had just lapsed into an easy, comfortable familiarity.

It was odd. She'd dated a fair number of guys before, but she'd never felt this at ease around anybody before; especially after only a few days. She couldn't explain it. It was like being really contented... _times 50_.

She finished her pancakes quickly and Nick looked up from his half-eaten plate and laughed.

"My God, that was fast. Do you still have all your fingers?"

She laughed, embarrassed. "My whole family eats fast. It's weird. I don't think food was ever a big priority to any of us. It's just something else to get through quickly."

"Do you have brothers or sisters?"

"One of each. Both older than me."

"Ah, another baby of the family. Daddy's girl or mom's?"

"Daddy's girl through and through. I look the most like my dad too, out of the three of us. I could do no wrong as a child."

She smiled as the memories came to mind of all the things she'd gotten away with because of her dad's affection.

"I may have taken advantage of that a _few_ times..." She grinned guiltily. "What about you? I'm thinking... mostly girls and only the one brother, and he's older... momma's boy?"

He snorted a bit of laughter. "Well, I wouldn't put it _that_ way exactly, but my mom definitely spoiled me. I was her special kid." He looked a little proud as he mentioned it.

She couldn't help but smile.

_Ah, Nick, look at you_. _I'm sure any mom would be proud_.

"Do you want some more?" He indicated the other 2 pancakes left.

"Nah, I'm stuffed."

"What? All that _whining _and you're only eating _2_?"

He shook his head in mock displeasure. He seemed to think better of it after a moment, however.

"Oh well, more for me!" He scooped them onto his plate and she laughed.

"Remember Nick, a moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips."

He started to laugh, looking down at his stomach and then back at her.

"I think I can afford it. I'm not the biggest guy around."

She nodded back, thinking to herself, _you're not exactly scrawny either, Nick_... _you look pretty good to me_...

She tried to stop herself from imagining the muscles beneath his shirt and replied, "Yeah, I think you'll be OK."

He looked her up and down carefully. "I'm pretty sure you can handle it as well. Are you sure you won't have one?"

She blushed at his appraisal and shook her head no.

"I'm seriously full. Pancakes and starchy things usually fill me up more than most things. I'm good. Really."

He shrugged and dug in. "Your loss."

"Um, I think I'll have a shower. I feel grubby."

He laughed. "You look fine. But OK."

She left and headed upstairs, still feeling flushed at his comments. She could no longer deny that Nick seemed to be more attentive to her than normal, so she was pretty sure he felt at least a little bit attracted to her as well, but... he was also a professional. They weren't on a date here; he was here to help protect her. She remembered the gun he wore and she felt herself returning to her senses.

She closed the bedroom door and stripped down for her shower.

* * *

As Nick finished off the last of the pancakes he sighed.

_Man_,_ this is unbearable_.

She was so different; special.

_I've never felt this comfortable with someone before_. _We just _fit.

And yet the situation was completely screwed up. What he wouldn't do to just take her up in his arms and show her how he really felt about her. He felt his stomach swirling a bit at the thought.

He stood up and took the dishes to the sink. As he started the water and poured in some soap, he tried to re-focus his thoughts. He had to concentrate on what was important here; keeping her safe and nothing more. The last thing she needed right now was more... _entanglements_.

He frowned to himself, unable to completely ignore his own feelings.

_Maybe when all this is over_,_ we can_...

He didn't finish the thought.

_Not right now, Nick_. _Not right now_.

* * *

Alex finished blow-drying her hair and felt her temperature returning to normal. Far from making her feel better, the shower had only exacerbated her longing for Nick. As the warm water had run down her naked body, her mind returned over and over again to the handsome man downstairs, looking _so_...

She'd fought her yearnings until she thought she might actually scream. She'd finally cut her shower short, wanting to escape this futile fantasy world .

She dressed quickly and headed back downstairs, glancing at her alarm clock on the way. 9:30 am. _Is that it_?

Time seemed to be slowing down...

Nick looked up from his spot on the sofa as she returned. He felt his breath catch as he noted she was wearing her low rider jeans again, and a simple white tank top. He looked down quickly, then fumbled with the remote as the sight of her cute toes enflamed him even further. "Um, ah... what do you feel like watching?"

"I don't know. I don't usually watch daytime TV. What's on?"

He flicked through a few channels with morning talk shows and kids programs. Nick paused on Jerry Springer and Alex groaned.

"No, please. _Anything_ but that."

He laughed and looked up at her. "What? You don't want to see how the _other_ half lives?"

She groaned. "No. And I'm not sure the half that are on that show actually _exist_."

Nick laughed. "We can only hope!"

She looked back at him and tried to decide where to sit. There were two lounge chairs, or the sofa with Nick... who was sitting smack dab in the middle. She tried to be strategic, considering her best options.

_If I sit beside him that might be too obvious_, _but if I sit in one of the chairs, he might think_...

"Alex?"

She looked down at him, embarrassed to be caught in the middle of an internal debate.

"Yeah?"

"Are you going to sit down?" He looked amused.

She thought fast. "Oh, yeah. I am. It's just I was thinking you must be tired and maybe you want to go upstairs and get some sleep. I have some extra sheets and..."

She trailed off. He was smiling even more at her, and she realized she'd been rambling. She breathed out an embarrassed question.

"So are you tired?"

"No. Come and sit down." He patted a spot beside him.

_Well, that settles that_...

She tried to nonchalantly take the seat beside him and managed to ease into her spot without so much as grazing his leg. He'd noticed her avoidance though, and he suddenly felt a bit uncomfortable.

_Did I come on too strong earlier_? _I don't want to make her nervous_. _Damn, maybe I shouldn't have hugged her again_... _but she seemed_...

His thoughts were interrupted when she reached over and grabbed the remote from his hand. He looked at her in surprise and she smirked.

"It's my place, and there will be no _Springer_ on my TV."

He grinned back at her. "You're the boss."

She flicked past a few more channels and stopped at Animal Planet.

"Oh, '_Animal Cops'_... Do you mind?"

He smiled again. "No, not at all. I watch Animal Planet all the time."

"Cool. I knew there was something about you that I liked."

She realized what she'd said and turned a bit red yet again.

_Man, I talk too m_uch.

Nick laughed. "Well, to _know_ me is to _love_ me."

Even redder now, she thought to herself, _yeah, no kidding_... She sat back against the sofa and tried to relax.

_Man, this isn't going to be easy_.

Nick leaned back as well and felt a little more at ease.

_She seems OK_. _I was probably just overreacting_.

Still... he made a mental note to be more careful about his actions from here on out. She was one woman he didn't want to scare away.

* * *

Sara climbed out of her Denali and headed into her apartment. After a few errands, she was ready to dig into her dinner special from a nearby café.

She paused at her door, and looked around; she had the strangest feeling that she was being watched...

She lowered her sunglasses and surveyed the area around her apartment, but nothing seemed out of the norm.

_Hmmm_.

She frowned and went inside. After a moment's consideration, she locked her door and turned around. Opening her dinner, she sat down on her sofa and flicked on the TV.

* * *

Alex felt a tear well up a she watched the animal cops rescue an abused dog from some neglectful owners. Maybe this wasn't such a good choice after all; she was a sucker for anything that had to do with animals and cried at the drop of a hat when watching anything to do with actual abuse. She slowly raised her hand and tried to discreetly wipe away the tear before it moved down her cheek. She yawned to cover the action.

"You tired? You didn't exactly get a full night's sleep."

"No, I'm OK. How about you? The offer to sleep in my bed still stands, you know..."

_Oh man, did I just say that_?

She mentally cringed, and the redness seeped back into her cheeks.

Nick had suppressed the image it had stirred in his mind as well.

"Nah, I'm good for a few more hours. I need to wind down for a few hours after shift. I usually don't sleep before 1 or 2 in the afternoon."

"Oh. OK. Well, just let me know, and I'll get you some bedding."

"I don't need to use your bed, Alex. You'll be tired again soon too, I'm sure."

She nodded, not knowing how to tell him she couldn't bring herself to sleep in the bed.

"I'm sure I'll be fine. I won't need to sleep again until tonight. Probably."

"And I'll be fine on the sofa. I'd just as soon be close by anyway. I can sleep if you're watching TV."

"Well, OK... whatever you think. Just let me know when and I'll get out of the way."

"Don't worry. I'll just subtly elbow you off the end of the sofa."

She laughed and looked at him. "Just try it, buddy. I may be smaller than you but I've had combat duty, you know. My older brother and sister used to attack me regularly."

"Uh, hello? I had 6 of 'em taking me through the paces. I seriously doubt you've got game."

She looked back at him with a tough expression.

"Oh, _I've got game_, pal, don't you worry. I've got moves you've never seen before."

She poked him in the arm lightly. She wasn't surprised at how unyielding the muscle was, but she still gulped to herself.

He tried not to laugh but failed.

_Damn, she looks so freaking cute right now_.

He looked back at the TV screen. "Oh, we'll see... _We'll see_."

A few hours later and a few more Animal Planet programs gone, Alex shifted in her seat to face away from Nick. He snuck a peak at her. Was she sleeping? He leaned carefully over her and saw that her eyes were firmly closed, and she was breathing evenly, fast asleep.

_Should I try and get her to go upstairs_?

He yawned himself and stretched his arms above his head. She didn't move and he watched her openly now. She looked so peaceful that he didn't feel right waking her up.

He got up and grabbed the pillow that was resting on one of the chairs. As he sat back down on the sofa, he leaned down and placed his gun just under the sofa. His movements must have shaken her a bit because she moved slightly. He waited to see if she'd awoken, but she didn't move again, and he leaned around her, trying to gently ease the pillow into the corner beneath her head.

She sighed in her sleep and slowly turned towards him. He froze as she placed her head against his chest, her hands making smoothing motions against his stomach. He swallowed and slowly leaned back, trying not to disturb her.

_OK_..._I guess _I'm_ her pillow_...

He carefully lifted the remote from the sofa arm and turned down the volume slightly. Placing the pillow in the other corner, he placed his arms gently around her shoulders and sighed, unable to ignore the feelings of pleasure that were running through his body.

_Ah, it's harmless_... _she's just sleeping_.

He flicked to the sports channel and tried to concentrate on an afternoon baseball game, but he couldn't keep his mind off the warm, sleeping woman nestled so comfortably on his chest...

* * *

Sara yawned and went to her blinds and looked out. Whatever she'd been feeling earlier was gone.

_I'm so tired after this case that my imagination is working overtime_.

She stretched her arms and closed the living room blinds. Flicking off her kitchen light as she went, she made her way back to her bedroom.

* * *

Nick felt his eyelids closing and tried to stay awake. He yawned for the umpteenth time and moved his head to the side. He gazed down at the Alex's sleeping head, resting cosily on his chest. He smiled and flicked off the TV.

He leaned his body slowly to the other side of the couch and pushed the pillow into position. Alex's body adjusted with the new position and her hand slipped slightly under the bottom of his shirt. He felt an electric jolt where her hand touched his bare skin, and his heart beat started to drum a little harder. He tried to breathe deeply and ignore the sensation...

G_o to sleep_, _you're tired_. _It's no big deal_...

He slowly regained his composure and, giving Alex one last lingering glance, he closed his eyes and tried to go to sleep.

* * *

Sara sat up in bed suddenly.

_Something isn't right_...

She looked at her clock radio, red numbers shining out in her darkened room. 1:30 pm. She looked around, her eyes adjusted to the dark her heavy blinds provided in the daylight hours. She'd barely gone to sleep...

She crept out of bed and moved to her door, listening carefully.

_Nothing_, _but_... _What woke me up_?

She waited for another couple of minutes and finally she heard a sound from the front of her apartment...

A_ thief_?

She quietly went back to her bedside table and eased open the drawer. Extracting her service revolver, she moved back to her bedroom door. She took a big breath and slowly opened the door a crack... someone was in the living room. She moved away from the door and tried not to panic, but her heart was beating up a storm and she couldn't prevent the fear that surfaced with it.

_C'mon Sidle, you're trained for this kind of stuff_...

She looked back through the crack in the door, but didn't see any movement. She carefully pushed the door open enough to slide out, and she glanced fearfully towards the back, afraid she'd see the intruder waiting for her there... but there was no one.

She held the gun in front of her and made her way down the hallway, trying not to make noise. As she reached the living room, she paused and took another breath. Wheeling into the living room she scanned the area, her gun following her motions as she called out.

"Who's there? I'm armed!"

As she spun towards the kitchen, a large figure hurtled out towards her and she got off a shot. The figure jerked back as if hit, but then continued towards her.

Wearing a face mask, she couldn't tell who her attacker was, but she was certain it was a male. She moved to the side as he came at her again, but he managed to catch her shoulder and she fell towards the floor. She managed to hold tight to the gun, and whirled it towards her attacker as she fell. Whoever he was, he was heading for her open door and she didn't get another shot off.

Sitting in shock on the floor, she watched as he threw himself out the door.

Coming to her senses, she stood up and made her way carefully to the door. She caught a last glimpse of the tall figure as he started around the corner of her building, pulling off his black balaclava as he went. While she didn't get a perfect look at him, she caught a glimpse of a brown haired man in profile... and she was almost certain it was James Meadfield.

She closed her door, looking in chagrin at the jimmied lock and the crowbar sitting just inside the doorway. Grabbing her phone, she called the LVPD service line.

* * *

Alex was dreaming.

She was back on the CSI staff room sofa in the dark and Nick was staring deep into her eyes again. This time however, there was soft candlelight all around them, and the rest of the building seemed to be empty.

She felt her lower regions warming up as she gazed back at him, seeing in his eyes that he wanted the same thing that she did. He leaned forward and kissed her slowly, his mouth lingering on her bottom lip, and then teasing her softly with his tongue. She felt her hands reach around his back and clutch at his shoulders. The kiss deepened and he clutched at her back as well, his hands massaging her ever so slowly...

She felt electricity shoot through her as she fought to get even closer, pressing her chest against his and hearing him moan as her hands slipped lower down his back and under his shirt. One of her knees moved around his waist, the other circling from the other side to straddle him. He placed his hands under her, more currents of energy throbbing through her core as his fingers dug into her bottom. She wrapped her legs more tightly around him and groaned his name...

"_Nick_..."

He wasn't quite asleep when he thought he heard Alex say his name. He opened his eyes and looked down at her, thinking she was awake. She was still asleep, though and she shifted slightly, and brought her knee up to cross his leg. She snuggled deeper into him, her hands moving a little further up his chest under his shirt. He struggled to keep down his rising arousal, and looked up at the ceiling.

_Oh man, what am I going to do now_?

She let out a small moan and snuggled in again, and he thought he might lose it as her knee grazed the zipper on his pants. He could feel a pulsing sensation begin and swallowed hard.

_Oh God, oh God_...

Inside her dream, Alex felt as though she was on the edge of euphoria, as Nick's hands slid over her body, moving to unbutton her blouse as his lips followed the trail his fingertips left. She closed her eyes and felt her back arching of its own accord...

Suddenly, she was opening her eyes and the brightness around her made her squint.

She moved her hands over the chest beneath her and sighed, turning her head to look up into Nick's face. He looked back into her eyes and felt an involuntary shudder. The look of naked passion in her glance was enough to stir his arousal even more and it took everything he had not to pull her further up his body and kiss her hard. She looked up at him, half asleep and smiled beguilingly.

"Mmmm... Nick..."

She cuddled her head up closer to his shoulder and moved her hands erotically across his chest. As he became more and more stiff, he choked out her name and ran his hands through her hair.

"_Alex_..."

She looked back at him, suddenly confused, waking up a little more. The fire in her eyes remained, but added to it now was an element of uncertainty. He felt his heart lurch, and was torn between kissing her and comforting her.

"Nick?"

Her hands stopped their movements and she stiffened.

_Oh my god, what am I_...

She looked back at him nervously and started to apologize, embarrassed at where her dream had taken her. Her voice was a little hoarse as she stammered.

"Oh Nick, I'm ... I'm _so sorry_... I don't know what..."

She stopped at the look of hunger in his eyes and stared back at him. He looked away, afraid of what she might see in his eyes, but he realized he was too late. Her hand was planted firmly on his chest, as if to begin elevating herself away from him, but she hesitated. He looked back up at her and she still looked confused, but there was something else as well... _hope_?

He looked at her steadily, certain she could feel his heart beating quickly beneath her hand.

"Alex?"

She looked down at him uncertainly, and he reached up to stroke her cheek with his hand. He felt her shiver slightly, and he leaned up towards her. She stared back at him and he saw her eyes darken. As he moved ever closer, his hand caressed its way down to her neck, and he slid his hand slowly back beneath the hair at her nape. He was so close now that he could feel her breath...

Oh _God_.

He pulled her head gently closer and placed his lips on hers.

_So soft_...

She moaned into his mouth and her hands clutched at him desperately. He pulled her body back down on top of him and slid his hands down her back, pulling her body tighter against his. His kisses grew more savage and he felt like he was on fire as the taste of her overwhelmed his senses. He'd never felt voltage like this in any kiss. _Ever_.

She moved her hips slightly and he let out a groan, the pressure on his groin sending another wave of pulsations through his already hardened erection. She pulled back slightly to look at him again and he was taken back by the look in her eyes. She was breathing heavily and he reached one hand up to touch her face again.

"God, Alex, what you do to me..."

She swallowed visibly and moved her mouth back down towards his...

"Oh God... _Nick_."

Her lips reclaimed his and shot a new spark through both of them. Her hands moved under his shirt, grasping desperately at his sides. He felt her move rhythmically against him, and he shifted her slightly, pulling his other leg onto the sofa, his hips lining up with hers...

* * *

Outside, Officer Franklin looked around the area, bored but alert.

He saw a woman leave her apartment at the far end of the building, carrying what appeared to be a laundry hamper. She slowly made her way across the front walk, heading roughly in his direction. He continued to watch her, more out of boredom than anything else. Suddenly, she started up the steps that led around to Alex's side of the building, and his curiosity intensified.

Slowly, she drew closer to Alex's front step, and he stepped out of his car. As she started to head up the steps, he sprinted across the street and called out to her.

"Ma'am? Ma'am, wait a minute. Excuse me, ma'am?"

She stopped and turned, squinting at him with concern. He pulled out his ID as he approached her.

"Ma'am? Can I ask what you're doing?"

"I'm returning my neighbour her laundry. I looked after it for her the other day, and I noticed she seems to have returned. Why?"

"I'll take that for you ma'am. I'm afraid I can't let you in there."

"Well, OK then. But make sure she gets this back."

She handed him the laundry and turned to go. He watched her disappear back down the walk as he contemplated knocking on the door and returning the hamper.

A moment later, he tumbled down the steps as a blow to the head sent him reeling, the laundry hamper falling over on the ground. Franklin looked up, vision blurred as he saw something descending towards him. Then it all went dark.

The tall figure looked around him and seeing nobody in sight, pulled the officer around beside the steps and shoved him into the bushes there. Content that he was safely hidden, he pulled out the man's ID and stepped from the bushes.

He picked up the scattered laundry, pausing to run his fingers over the silky underwear within. He felt aroused as he carried the basket up the steps. He composed himself again, and raised his hand to knock on the door.

This time, he wasn't leaving _until he got what he wanted_.


	17. Chapter 17

_**A.N**_: Another warning- mature themes ahead...

* * *

Holding onto Alex tightly, Nick carefully lifted himself from underneath her, moved her slightly in his arms and laid her back down on the sofa below him. He eased himself back down between her legs and placed his hands just under her underarms, gently lowering his face back to hers and kissing her again deeply.

Nick's lips moved down Alex's jaw line, and he nibbled gently on her ear before moving to the hollow spot of her throat. She felt another tendril of fire lick through her body, and her breasts felt even more sensitive in anticipation. His arm grazed one nipple through her shirt, and she thought she might burst into flames.

She moved one hand to the back of his neck, her fingers climbing into his hair, her fingernails massaging him. Her other hand gripped his shoulder as the sensations continued to assail her body. He slowly moved across to her shoulder bone, his hand sliding under her tank top at her waist. One hand touched her skin and slid slowly up to her rib-cage, gently caressing her. His other hand tenderly pushed at her tank top strap. Her back began to arch slightly in response, and she wondered if she was back in her dream, or if this was really happening...

A knocking at the door startled them both, and Nick raised his head in confusion, looking back towards the door. A muffled voice called out.

"Miss Winters? One of your neighbours just returned some of your laundry. I have it here."

Nick turned back to look at Alex. She touched her mouth gingerly, her lips a bit swollen from his kisses. He smiled at her awkwardly, and she looked a little embarrassed. She called out towards the door.

"Um, just a minute, please. I'll be right there."

As much as he hated to, Nick pushed himself up from the sofa and slowly stood up. Alex felt instantly chilled without the heat of his body close to hers. She quickly scurried into a sitting position and ran her fingers through her hair, trying to tidy it.

"Um, do I look OK?" She looked up guiltily.

Nick couldn't help but smile down at her tenderly, and she started to turn red. He leaned down and pushed her shirt back over her shoulder properly, smiling sheepishly. She looked extremely vulnerable and he felt about as guilty as he possibly could, given the fact that he was still half-aroused from their encounter.

"Alex, I should get the door. Why don't you just go into the kitchen and, uh... get us some water?"

He looked a bit uncomfortable, uncertain how to proceed. She nodded thankfully and headed for the kitchen.

She walked straight to the fridge, opened the door and stood in front of it, hoping to lower her body temperature substantially. The cooled air helped clear her head, and she leaned her forehead on the freezer door.

_My God_._ I can't believe what just_... almost _happened_.

Nick walked over to the door, still trying to compose himself.

_Jesus_.

He ran his fingers through his hair, then looked through the peephole. The officer outside stood facing away towards the street, and Nick could see the laundry basket in his arms. He took a deep breath and unlocked the deadbolt.

Nick eased the door open. "Hey man, sorry for the..."

He stopped in shock as he recognized the man who turned to face him from the doorway. Meadfield was surprised to see someone other than Alex at the door, but he reacted quickly and hurled the laundry basket at Nick, knocking him backwards into the wall.

As Nick recovered and started to stand up straight again, he froze as he found a gun levelled at his face. Meadfield eased the door closed behind him.

Having heard the commotion, Alex came back out of the kitchen. She stopped in disbelief as she saw James Meadfield pointing a gun at Nick. Nick heard her gasp behind him and he tried to push past the fear that had taken hold.

"Alex, _run out the_ _back_!"

Meadfield gazed leisurely past Nick's shoulder at her, the gun moving even closer to Nick's face.

"I wouldn't do that, Alex."

Terror ran through her as she looked into his cold eyes, and then at the gun pointing at Nick.

"_Please_... _please don't_."

Meadfield grinned at her. "Don't _what_, Alex?"

"Don't... don't hurt him." She began trembling and couldn't seem to stop.

"Is he the reason you weren't interested in me Alex? Is he your _boyfriend_?"

He looked at her, his expression seemingly only that of mild curiosity.

She choked back a sob and tried to think carefully. If he thought Nick was important to her, he might...

"_No_. No, he's here to protect me... police protection."

Meadfield looked back at Nick, mildly surprised. Then recognition dawned.

"Ah yes. I remember you. You were in my home, and then later at the police station..."

Nick swallowed and started to speak carefully.

"Look Mr. Meadfield, nobody needs to get hurt here..."

Meadfield interrupted him. "_Move_. Over there."

He jerked the weapon in front of Nick's face, indicating the living room. Nick backed slowly over, and Alex started to move towards him.

"_Stay put, Alex_."

Meadfield spoke quietly enough, but his tone sent a new wave of chills through her. She tried to look around without being obvious. She couldn't figure out what she could do to help...

_God what do I do_?!!!

Nick tried to speak again. "Listen, nobody's been hurt so far... you can still get out of th-"

He was silenced suddenly by a blow to the head from the butt of Meadfield's gun. Alex let out a cry and started forward, wanting to go to Nick, but Meadfield stepped between them, an icy smile on his face.

"I'm no cop killer, Alex. At least as long as you cooperate. _Are you going to cooperate_?"

Alex stood stock still, paralysed with fear. She glanced behind him at Nick's unmoving form on the floor. She stared back at Meadfield in terror as he spoke again.

"You still owe me a date, Alex. You weren't here the last time I came calling."

She hadn't imagined it possible, but his smile actually became colder as he moved towards her.

* * *

Officer Shelley moved back into the shade of the tree behind Alex's apartment.

_Damn, it's hot today_.

His radio squawked again and he turned the volume down a little more. Since the possible Meadfield sighting, police had been combing Sara Sidle's neighbourhood, but they'd had no luck so far. The guy could be anywhere by now; it had been almost an hour ago.

He'd radioed Franklin out front after they'd heard the report, and while both of them had been highly doubtful that the man would have the balls to show up here, they decided to report in to each other every 10 minutes for the next couple of hours at least. If nothing else, it would minimize their boredom.

Shelley watched a cat stalking a bird which had settled on the lawn and sighed.

_The guy's not going to show up here_... _it'd be suicide_.

He looked at his watch. He had another 5 minutes and then it was his turn to radio Franklin.

* * *

Meadfield approached Alex calmly, the gun casually pointing at her from his hand. She backed up until she hit the living room wall. He stopped just inches from her and looked down at her. She didn't look up, staring helplessly at his chest and shaking in fear. He grabbed her chin roughly and pulled her face upwards. His eyes seemed to burn with unbridled malice.

"You know, I didn't _mean _to kill her."

Alex recoiled at the words, but he held her face tightly in his grip.

"She looked so much like you... it was amazing."

He pushed his body against hers and she felt her panic rise even more.

"She didn't have the same big brown eyes, but I got over it. And at first she was _willing_ at least... unlike you, Alex."

She started to protest. "But I never... you never even asked me out."

He pushed into her more, holding her tighter, and resting his face against her temple. Speaking more softly, he continued.

"Ah, but I could tell you weren't interested. I'm not obtuse. What I couldn't understand though was why? Why you wouldn't be interested in _me_. I'm rich, and I _know_ I'm good looking. I can have anybody I want."

Alex tried to think of what to say.

"You... you _never_ asked me. How do you know I would have said no? I was always nice, wasn't I?"She was grasping at straws and she knew it.

And so did he.

"Hmmm. Good try. There's nice and then there's _nice_ Alex. I think we both know you weren't interested."

He started to run the barrel of the gun along her bare arm, and she felt goose bumps forming on her flesh. He moved his face through her hair and breathed her in deeply. He spoke as he exhaled.

"But I found _another_ you, didn't I? And she was _definitely_ interested. So I took her home."

His free hand slid up her stomach and lingered on her breasts for a moment before continuing up to her face. He stroked her cheek delicately.

"But there were some _differences_... differences I couldn't get past."

She concentrated on the cold wall behind her, attempting to ignore his hands on her.

"She had these _tattoos_... such a shame. I mean, don't get me wrong; I fucked her and it was nice. _Absolutely_. But the tattoos... they made me _uncomfortable_. They made me... _angry_."

He pushed his hips down lower and began to grind into her now, forcing her even harder into the wall. She could feel his erection pressing into her stomach. She felt nauseated and tears started to run down her face.

"So I might have hit her... probably more than once actually, but I can't really remember. It sort of becomes a blur after the first hit."

He abruptly pulled back from Alex and she felt as if someone had slammed a baseball bat into her cheek as he hit her with his closed fist. She yelped and fell to the floor, crying.

She looked across the floor behind Meadfield's legs and saw Nick still lying unconscious on the floor. He was on his side, facing her, and she saw some blood on his forehead.

_Oh God Nick_... _I'm so sorry_. _You shouldn't even be here_...

Meadfield reached down and pulled her into his arms, only to slam her hard against the wall. She thought she might black out as she slid downward.

* * *

Shelley watched as the cat finally made its attempt on the bird, only to be denied as the bird deftly took to wing and flew away. He looked at his watch again.

_Time to radio_.

"Franklin. Anything interesting out front?"

He waited for the reply. And waited.

"Franklin, you there?"

Again nothing.

_Shit_.

He moved towards the far end of the building, hoping he could see out to where Franklin had parked.

"Franklin, come in? _Where are you, man_?"

He peered around the corner but couldn't see the car. He was too far back.

_Dammit_.

He made his way around the building carefully, and finally came within sight of the car. He couldn't see the other officer inside, but he continued to radio while he made his way over. He looked into the driver's window and saw Franklin's radio on the front seat. He felt a moment of worry as he scanned the area around him, looking for signs of his colleague.

_Where the hell are you_?

He radioed dispatch and relayed his situation. They suggested he wait for back up, but he decided to check the front of the building anyway...

* * *

Nick felt pain in the darkness where he currently resided. He wanted to open his eyes, but they didn't seem to want to cooperate. He felt like he was a long way away from where he should be, wherever that was. He strained against the agony which seemed to be increasing...

W_here _am_ I supposed to be_?

From a distance, he thought he could hear voices approaching and he strained to hear them. He could hear a man talking...

"And so I removed the tattoos, simple as that. Then she started to look much better."

Meadfield began to gently caress Alex again as she lay in pain on the floor. Her shoulder was in agony and one side of her face throbbed constantly. It almost masked the sensation of his fingers touching her skin.

Almost.

She grimaced as he pulled her away from the wall and laid her out flat on the carpet.

"The only problem then was that she was _dead_, of course. Not much use to me then, was she?"

Even if he'd actually expected a response from her, she couldn't seem to make her lips move. She turned her face away from his ministrations and once again caught sight of Nick. Her tears were flowing again, but Meadfield paid her no heed.

"But it's OK now, isn't it. Because I have _you_. He turned her face to look at him again. You're the one I wanted all along, Alex. _Just you_."

She stared at him, disgust washing across her face. He shook his head in disapproval and began unbuttoning her jeans.

"_Now_ Alex, if you can't look at me with all the affection I deserve, you can just look somewhere else."

He smacked her hard again with the back of his hand, snapping her head back to the side. She actually saw stars this time and felt herself fading out of consciousness for a moment. As things grew hazy, she began to feel better...

I_t hurts less now_...

She felt the world fading out.

* * *

Nick could hear the man talking closer now.

"No, no Alex. No passing out on me... I need you awake so you can enjoy this to the fullest. We're _both_ going to enjoy ourselves- just wait and see. It'll be intense."

He slapped at her face lightly, causing the pain to reignite in her cheek, and she gasped.

Nick felt himself straining at the sound.

_Alex_? _Oh God, what_...?

Nick began to re-emerge from his insensible state and felt a pain in his head. He grimaced and tried again to open his eyes, but everything was fuzzy... He tried to lift his head but felt a spurt of pain shoot across the top of his skull and he stopped moving. Slowly, as he lay there, his vision began to clear.

He saw Alex lying across from him, pinned down by Meadfield. Her face was bleeding and starting to swell. He felt a surge of anger course through his body and he ignored the pain in his head as he raised his head.

Meadfield had set the gun down behind him as he worked to undo his belt. He was just starting to undo his pants button when he felt Alex stiffen beneath him. He looked down at her and then followed her gaze.

He felt a moment of panic as he quickly turned around but he was too late, and Nick was bearing down on him.

He grabbed for the gun, but before he could reach it, he was knocked backward as Nick barreled into him and knocked him off Alex. The two men rolled towards the kitchen door and Alex tried to shake off the blackness that was trying to overwhelm her yet again.

_Nick_...

She lifted her head, but the pain in her shoulder made her jerk back down hard, causing another jolt of pain in her head. Barely conscious, she lay still once more.

Nick had managed to fight his way on top of Meadfield and was hitting him with all the strength he had in him. Meadfield's face snapped to the side and he tried to raise a hand up to stop the blows. Nick didn't stop... He couldn't seem to make himself, and he pummeled the man repeatedly with heated blows.

All of a sudden, he felt a moment of lightheadedness and had to pause for a moment.

Meadfield saw his opportunity. Gathering all his strength, he forced himself up and out from under Nick, managing to dislodge him. Nick recovered quickly and tried to launch himself at the man again. Though in pain, Meadfield's facial injuries weren't as severe as the blow to Nick's head had been, and he had a slight advantage. Stepping slightly to the side, he managed to force Nick past him and towards the wall. Nick managed to hold himself back though, and threw his weight towards the sofa.

Unfortunately, it was all the time Meadfield needed. Nick turned back around to see the gun once more pointing at him. He sat down heavily on the sofa.

Meadfield looked at him. vaguely impressed. "Well now. Your skull must be stronger than average. The other cop out front appears to still be down for the count."

Nick stared at the man, his eyes revealing the hatred welling up inside of him.

"You'll never make it out of here alive Meadfield."

Meadfield laughed. "_Maybe_. Maybe not. But I know _one thing_." He looked at Nick meaningfully. "You won't be leaving here either."

He started to move towards Nick, lowering the gun towards his face as he walked.

"And you'll never look smugly at anyone else in your interrogation room ever again."

He cocked his gun.

From somewhere deep inside, Alex gathered all her strength and launched herself at Meadfield's legs, feeling a moment of exultation as she connected just behind his knees and he began to fall forward. Nick reached for him and managed to push the gun to the side just as it went off. The shot went into the ceiling and Meadfield fell onto him.

Meadfield tried to rise up, but felt Alex still locked onto one of his legs. He drew his foot back and kicked her backward with all his might. Alex went flying back across the room and lay dizzy on the floor, a fresh round of pain shooting through her shoulder. She wasn't certain she would be able to fight back the blackness this time, and she felt herself fading out again. As her eyes closed, she heard a grunt and realized it was Nick, still fighting for his life.

_No_!

She again struggled to stay conscious.

After Meadfield had kicked Alex away, Nick had taken advantage of his unbalanced position and pushed the man away from him, falling to the floor himself with a grunt. He spotted his gun under the sofa and grabbed for it, pulling himself up to face Meadfield after he felt the handle in his fingers, and pointed it directly at him.

Meadfield was pointing his own gun at Alex and smiling at Nick through bruised and bleeding lips.

"Go ahead. Shoot. But I'm taking her with me."

The fear seemed to freeze Nick to the spot, and he felt his gun hand shaking.

_Alex_!

He looked down at her, his gun staying trained on the insane man before him. She struggled to sit up, and as she looked at him, he was frightened when he saw her face. She looked _resigned_.

She spoke through her tears. "Nick, _shoot_ him... He's going to kill me either way. I saw it in his eyes."

Meadfield laughed and shrugged. "Perceptive little thing, I'll give her that."

"Don't do it, man." Nick started to move towards him, and he frowned.

"_Easy_... Any closer and I'll do it _now_."

Nick stopped, his heart pounding. They were at a stalemate and he had no idea what to do next.

Meadfield taunted him openly. "So what are you going to do now, _Nick_? Hmmm?"

He fought against his panic and looked down at Alex again, his heart breaking. She looked battered and bruised and he felt responsible. He'd promised to protect her and he'd let her down. And now he didn't know how to save her.

She saw the emotions rolling across his face, anguish, anger, guilt... She felt the tears streaming down her face. This was all her fault.

"Nick, _I'm so sorry_."

Tears welled up in his eyes and he fought back a sob. He tried to think of something to bargain with, but he saw the look in Meadfield's eyes. This guy knew he had nothing to lose anymore. A tear rolled down his face and Meadfield barked out laughter and started to speak.

"How special; a _policeman_ with-"

They all jumped as the front door burst open and Officer Shelley charged inside, gun leveled at James Meadfield.

"_Drop it_!"

Momentarily surprised, Meadfield had jerked his gun away from Alex, and Nick dove towards him as he began to raise it again. He knocked his arm again as the gun went off, but this time the shot didn't go into the ceiling.

Alex felt a momentary sting on the side of her head and then nothing.

Meadfield struggled with Nick, and the gun went off again, this time into a wall. Nick saw Shelley out of the corner of his eye and dove out of the way. He heard the shot and turned to watch as James Meadfield staggered slightly. He tried to turn around and raised his gun once more, but Shelley shot him again.

Meadfieldlooked at Nick, surprise registering on his face, and then he fell into a heap on the floor. Nick pulled himself up, terror numbing the pain in his head as he stumbled towards the fallen woman on the other side of the room.

"Alex!"

He fell beside her, crying out as he saw the pool of blood forming around her head. She lay on her side, and Nick gently rolled her over. He cried out when he saw the blood running down her face and from the side of her head.

His heart turned to dust in his chest and he started crying as he cradled her head in his lap. He tried to move her matted hair away from her face, and he sobbed as her face became more and more ashen as he watched. He pulled his shirt over his head and placed it against the bloodied area. His brain told him it was over, but his heart didn't want to give up.

"_No_. _Please no_. _Alex_... _no_..."

Officer Shelley looked down at the man he'd just put two bullets into, now lying in a pile of blood on the carpet, then he looked over at the devastated man across the room. He looked at Alex Winters and then he looked at the ground, regret overwhelming him.

_If only I'd gotten here sooner_...

He walked over to where Nick held Alex in his arms and knelt beside them.

"I'm so sorry..." He touched his shoulder, and then stood back up sadly. He heard sirens approaching and moved towards the door.

Nick didn't look up. He sat there crying and stroking her cheek, his other hand holding the shirt tight to her skull. He brushed her hair back behind her ear one more time...

And then he froze.

He placed his finger just below her ear and felt for a pulse. He felt a feeble throb under his finger. It was weak but it was there! He felt blood pump through his veins again and his heart was racing as he called out to Shelley.

"Get an ambulance... _she's still alive_!"

Shelley looked back at him, stunned. He pulled out his radio and called it in.

Nick held the crumpled shirt tighter to her head and spoke down to her. "Alex? C'mon Alex, don't give up on me. You came back to me once before; you can do it again. Come on, Alex... _Fight_."

He held her tight right up until the ambulance arrived.


	18. Chapter 18

They wouldn't let Nick inside the ambulance.

"I'm sure you can see how bad this is. We need to get to work on her and you'll just be in the way." The paramedic eyed the shirtless man covered in blood and wondered if maybe he didn't need attention himself.

Nick didn't want to leave her... But he didn't want to hinder the paramedics either.

He stepped back from the doors, feeling numb as they closed in front of him. He watched helplessly as the vehicle sped off from the curb, and he heard the siren kick in as it disappeared around a corner. His anguish weighed down on him momentarily and he felt tears blurring his vision.

At last, he began to snap back to his senses, and wiping at the tears with the back of his hand, he raced to his SUV and jumped behind the wheel. As he tore off after the ambulance, several police cars were arriving on the scene, but he took no notice.

* * *

Shelley spoke to the lieutenant who'd just arrived.

"No, I didn't get a chance to even _look_ for Franklin. After I radioed dispatch, I was heading across the street and I heard a gunshot, so I ran up to the front..."

"_Lieutenant_? Out here."

The two men looked up at the officer at the door and followed him outside. He led them to a bush beside the front steps. Another policeman pulled the bush back and the officer who'd just spoken leaned down to look closely at the unconscious Officer Franklin.

"His pulse is good, but he's completely out. He's got a nice cut on the back of his head; the asshole must have cold-cocked him from behind."

The lieutenant pulled out his radio and called for an ambulance. Before he could sign off, a second officer appeared above them on the steps.

"You better call for 2, sir. The perp's still alive in there."

Shelley looked up in astonishment.

"_Jesus_." He realized he hadn't even checked for a pulse.

The lieutenant looked at him. "Where's Stokes? I'm going to need to talk to him."

Shelley looked behind him and noticed that the Denali was no longer parked across the street. He frowned.

_The guy shouldn't be driving_... _He looked in pretty rough shape himself_.

"I'm betting he's gone to the hospital where they took Alex Winters."

* * *

Nick sat in a chair just down from the emergency room where they'd taken Alex, his head in his hands. His agony stemmed mostly from his fear for Alex, but behind this was the pain of a pounding headache.

The attendants had looked at the blood on his arms, and the few stains on the t-shirt he'd found in the back of his SUV and pulled on, and had immediately tried to look after him, but he'd brushed them off telling them to concentrate on Alex.

They'd told him to wait out in the patient lounge, but he'd refused, using his CSI status to try to provide some clout. Too busy dealing with Alex to argue, they'd let him stay in the hall.

He looked down miserably at the drying stains.

_Alex_. _This is Alex's blood_.

His mouth was so dry he couldn't even swallow.

A door opened from somewhere close by and he looked up, but was disappointed as a nurse exited another room and headed in the opposite direction. He placed his head back into his hands. He heard footsteps approaching and looked up again. A nurse looked down at him with concern.

"Sir, are you alright? Do you need some assistance?"

He shook his head. "No, thank you. I'm waiting to hear news back on someone they just brought in..." His gaze moved back down the hall, and she noticed the matted blood in his hairline as she looked down on him. She frowned.

"What's the name?"

"Alex Winters. She's in there."

He pointed to the door, and looked up at her hopefully. The nurse couldn't help but notice how attractive he was, despite his cuts and bruises. She smiled at him reassuringly.

"Hold on a moment." She went down the hall and slipped into the room.

As Nick watched the closed door, some attendants suddenly wheeled another gurney hastily around the corner, and for a moment it blocked his view. He leaned his head downward again and tried massaging his temples. One of the attendants was speaking.

"Where's the woman he _shot_?"

Nick's head jerked up and he stared at the gurney, catching a glimpse of a bloodied hand hanging down the side.

One of the other attendants responded. "Ironically, she's right _next door_."

The first man shook his head. "Man, that's messed up."

The attendants and the gurney disappeared behind the door, a doctor arriving just on their heels.

Nick stared in disbelief at the door.

_Meadfield is still alive_?

He swallowed bitterly, anger setting in.

_How the hell did that bastard survive_? _If Alex doesn't make it_...

His thoughts were interrupted by the returning nurse. He stood up quickly and his head started to throb again. He grimaced, and the nurse put her hand on his arm, steadying him.

"Sir, I think..."

"I'm _fine_. How is she? Do they know anything?"

She shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. They don't know anything yet, other than she's lost a lot of blood. It'll be a while yet."

He looked so disappointed, her heart went out to the poor man. She went on.

"And since it's going to be a while, I think you may as well come with me and we'll have those cuts checked out."

"I'm OK. I'd rather just stay here until-"

"_Look_... What's your name?"

"Nick. Nick Stokes."

"OK, _Nick_. You've got a nasty cut in your scalp there and your face is looking a little worse for wear. Not to mention your arms are covered in blood."

He tried to explain. "This isn't my blood, it's-"

"OK. I understand. But there's nothing you can do for your friend sitting out here, so we might as well make use of the time and get you checked out. A doctor will see you right away. It won't take long; I promise."

He looked as though he wanted to argue, so she continued.

"And I'll let you know if anything happens while you're being examined. Nurses honour."

She placed her hand over her heart. He smirked slightly and finally gave in.

"Follow me."

* * *

Twenty minutes later he left the examination bay with two stitches, a bandaid on one cheek and a sample packet of painkillers in his hand. He'd also cleaned most of the blood off.

He made his way back in the direction of the emergency rooms. Spotting a drink machine, he reached in his pocket for change but came up empty. A hand reached in front of him and inserted some coins.

"Hit your button."

Nick looked up, surprised to see the officer who'd taken down Meadfield in Alex's apartment. He nodded his thanks to the man.

"_It's_...?"

"Shelley. Jim Shelley. Any word yet?"

"Nothing. I was just on my way back to the ER."

"Have you been checked out yet? You look a little beat up yourself."

Nick pointed to the bandage on his face. "Already been. I'll be alright."

He grabbed a bottle of water from the machine and started back down the hallway, swallowing his pills as he walked. Shelley followed him.

They reached the chair where Nick had been waiting earlier, but he kept walking, stopping at the door to the room where they were working on Alex. He looked in the door's window, but there was another solid metal door separating him from where she lay. He was tempted to go in, but just then the kind nurse returned. A little more alert this time, he looked at her name tag: Marcie.

She looked at him carefully. "You look a little better. You get any stitches?" She looked up at his head, and he nodded.

"Yeah, two. And some painkillers." He smiled at her wearily. "Thanks Marcie."

She smiled back sympathetically.

_Boy_,_ that smile_... _If I wasn't already married_...

"Has there been any news?" Again, he looked hopeful.

"I'll check for you. Wait right here."

He watched her as she went through the inner door, straining to see past her. All he saw were the backs of people in hospital scrubs.

Shelley joined him at the door. "Stokes, there's something you should know."

Nick continued to stare into the door window as he replied. "Meadfield's still alive."

Shelley looked surprised. "How did you know?"

"They brought him in about 20 minutes after Alex."

He turned to Shelley, his eyes taking on a faraway look for a moment. "He's in that room right there." He motioned with his chin to the room next door.

He regarded Shelley seriously and spoke.

"I hope he wakes up long enough to suffer in excruciating pain and then dies in agony."

Shelley felt no inclination whatsoever to disagree. "_Amen to that_."

The anger behind the look was short-lived however, and Nick suddenly looked morose.

"This is my fault. I should have shot him when I had the chance. When you came through the door, it distracted him..."

"No way, man. You did the right thing. Unless you had killed him instantly, he still might have shot her. In fact, I'm _positive_ he would have. I shot the son of a bitch _twice_ and he's still breathing."

A young man in hospital scrubs rushed past them with plasma bags and darted into the room containing Meadfield. Nick's eyes glazed over again and Shelley sighed.

"Look, this was _our_ fault, not yours. You were only supposed to be the last line of defence; he _never_ should have made it that far. Something happened with Franklin..."

He trailed off, not knowing what exactly had happened to the other man.

Nick's glance returned to the door in front of them.

"All he had to do was knock." He blew out a bitter breath. "He just knocked on the fucking door and I let him in. He called through the door, saying he had some laundry that a neighbour had returned... I looked out, he was looking the other way... I knew you guys were plain clothes, and he was holding a laundry basket..."

He stopped speaking as his voice began to catch. He looked at Shelley.

"I was supposed to _protect_ her and I let her down. If she doesn't make it..."

Shelley put his hand on Nick's shoulder.

"No way, Nick. If she makes it... _When_ she makes it, it'll be because you saved her life. You knocked his gun and his shot went off the mark. If he'd hit her straight on in the chest, or the face, we wouldn't be standing here right now."

Before he could continue, Marcie returned from inside the room.

"Nick, the doctor's going to come out in a little while and tell you what's happening. Just hang in there OK?" He looked frustrated again, and she patted his shoulder. "It won't be long."

She nodded at Shelley and walked around the corner, out of sight.

Nick looked at his watch and sighed in exasperation. It had been over an hour now...

_They must know something_.

Shelley spoke up. "C'mon man. Why don't you grab that seat over there before you fall over."

He nudged Nick gently in the direction of the chair, and he slowly went to it and sat down heavily. He leaned his head against the cold wall. Hopefully the pills would kick in soon, and the pounding would stop.

Shelley started to walk back towards the front of the hospital.

"I've got to find the lieutenant; he'll be around here somewhere by now. He's going to want to talk to you, Nick."

Nick closed his eyes and tried to conjure up a memory in his mind of Alex smiling.

"I'll be right here if he needs me."

* * *

Sometime later, Nick felt a tap on his shoulder and looked up in confusion... Had he fallen asleep? He looked up foggily at the person in front of him.

"Stokes? You alright?"

Nick stared back at the man, but didn't recognize him right away. Officer Shelley stood beside him.

"Lieutenant Foreman."

Nick nodded.

_Right_. _Works days_.

"Listen Stokes, I need to ask you about what happened today. Can you give me your version of the events?"

Nick nodded and told him what he remembered, from the moment there was a knock on the door right up to... He'd hesitated a bit when he'd tried to describe Alex's shooting.

"And then what?"

"I saw Officer Shelley training his weapon on Meadfield and I dove out of the way. He fired once and hit him, and then Meadfield looked like he was going to try and shoot again, but Officer Shelley shot him again and he went down."

The lieutenant nodded. "This sounds like a good shoot." The man looked a bit relieved. "I guess we're not going to get anything from the victim today?"

Shelley looked at the lieutenant from the corner of his eye and frowned. Nick was more than a little annoyed at the man's callousness, but he shook it off. He was just following procedure.

"No. I haven't heard anything yet, and they've been in there..." He looked down at his watch. "Just over two hours now."

He looked at Shelley and the man gave him a sympathetic look.

"Listen Stokes, I just want to clarify a couple of..."

The lieutenant tried to continue but Nick had suddenly turned away. He'd heard a door opening behind him and he watched as a tall woman in scrubs walked down the hall towards them. Nick stood up quickly and was glad to note he didn't feel quite as dizzy this time.

"Doctor? Do you have word on Alex Winters?"

She looked at them questioningly and the lieutenant showed her his badge. She nodded.

"Well, there's some good news. The bullet didn't penetrate the skull- it only grazed the temple. Head wounds usually bleed a lot, so she's lost a lot of blood, but we've stopped the bleeding and we're transfusing her right now."

He felt a rush of hope shoot through him at the doctor's words, but he was certain he could feel a caveat coming.

"_But_?" His heart was thumping in his chest.

"Even though it only glanced off her temple, the impact still caused some swelling in her brain and possibly a hematoma. We're going to try to relieve some of the pressure, but..."

She paused and Nick swallowed hard.

"Brain damage?"

She nodded hesitantly.

"There's a possibility. But we won't know anything until the swelling goes down and she regains consciousness. In all honesty, it could go either way, but we're hopeful, and I think you should remain that way too." She moved as if to return to the ER, but paused.

"Has her family been notified?"

Shelley nodded. "They live out of the country, but we've contacted their local police and they're trying to reach them."

The doctor nodded and headed back into the room. Shelley turned to Nick.

"I told you man. If it hadn't been for you, that bullet probably would have done a lot more than graze her temple. She's got a fighting chance now. She's a together girl and she's going to pull through. You'll see. Have faith, man."

Nick tried to smile.

_Thank God the bullet hadn't penetrated her brain, but_...

"God, I hope so. She's gotta be OK..."

The lieutenant tried to ask his extra questions, but Nick was too preoccupied to concentrate on what he was saying for half of them. Finally, the man gave up, knowing he had enough and Nick would be easy enough to find later. Shelley gave Nick a small thumbs-up as the two men headed back down the hallway.

Nick sat down and leaned back again. She at least had a fighting chance now.

_But what if there was brain damage_?

Nick felt heaviness in his chest and fought fruitlessly to push the fear down inside him. He must have looked stricken because a familiar but concerned voice suddenly spoke up beside him.

"Nick? Are you OK?"

He looked up into the worried face of Sara Sidle. He tried to smile at her, let her know he was OK, but he didn't quite make it, and she put her hand on his shoulder.

"Nick, are you hurt?"

"No. No, Sara, I'm alright. Couple of stitches. I'll live."

She looked at the sadness lingering in his eyes. "Is Alex... Is she...?"

"She's alive. But she's in bad shape. A bullet grazed her temple and there was some swelling of the brain... and possibly brain damage." His eyes became glassy once more and Sara looked at him compassionately.

"Oh, Nick... I'm so sorry. How... Do they know what the chances are?"

"No. They have to wait until the swelling goes down. And then she has to regain consciousness..."

He felt himself choking up again and he stopped talking.

Sara's heart went out to her friend. When she'd thought Nick might get hurt for caring too much, she hadn't thought this would be where it led. She started looking around her, and Nick watched her questioningly.

"What are you looking for?"

"Another chair."

"Sara, you don't have to stay..."

"Why? Are you going to go home and get some desperately needed sleep?"

He looked up at her, vaguely amused. "No. No I'm not."

"Well then, I guess I'm going to need to find myself another chair."

He smiled at her back as she walked down the hall trying to snoop out a chair from one of the rooms.

* * *

Nick sat up as he heard doors being banged open and looked down the hall. He'd been sleeping, but the sight of Alex being wheeled out of the ER brought him fully awake. Sara had been holding his hand, but let go as he moved towards the slowly moving gurney.

"What's happening? Is she OK? Where are you moving her?"

He finally got his first chance to see her since she'd been taken away in the ambulance.

He gasped as he saw how small and fragile she looked in the gated bed, with an intravenous tube being transported alongside her. She was wrapped tightly up in the sheets, and there was a thick bandage over her left temple, held in place by another wrapped around her head. He swallowed hard.

Her face was so pale, and she had large black circles under her eyes... He cringed as he noticed the cuts and bruises across her face and her mouth.

The doctor touched his arm and he stopped and looked at her.

"We're taking her to ICU. She's stabilized, and that's a very good thing. We've relieved some of the swelling, but now we're just going to have to wait until it goes down completely. We'll know more when she wakes up."

He nodded back at her, feeling helpless again. "Can I..."

"I'm afraid no one is allowed in ICU. Especially not now. Are you a family member?"

"No, I'm... I'm a friend."

"Well, once her family shows up, they can approve you visiting her, but right now, nobody will be allowed in with her. I'm sorry."

They made their way through some doors at the end of the hall while he stood and stared after them. Sara came up behind him and put her hand gently on his shoulder. He flinched lightly and then turned to look at her.

"Nick, there's nothing more you can do here. Why don't you let me take you home... seriously, you've been hurt and you probably haven't slept in what? Almost 24 hours? She wouldn't want you to put your own health at risk, you know that."

He stared back at her unseeing, and she wondered if he'd heard anything she'd said.

"Nick?"

He slowly seemed to come around, and stared at her questioningly.

"Let me take you home. You need to rest."

He shook his head. "I'm not going anywhere."

"But you heard the doctor, Nick; nobody will be allowed to see her for a while, and even then it'll only be family. You can't do anything more here. You need to get some sleep before you hurt yourself."

Sara watched powerlessly as Nick turned away from her and headed down the hall towards ICU. She shook her head, then followed him.

* * *

Sara looked down at the man sleeping on her shoulder. Why couldn't she have fallen for a guy like that?

_A guy who'd sit in the ICU waiting room if I was hurt_,_ praying for me to be OK_...

She sighed inwardly. She'd tried to get over Grissom after he'd pretty much blown her off, but... These things were never easy.

She looked up as she saw Catherine by the far doors. She stopped herself from calling out, realizing she'd wake up Nick if she did. Catherine finally glanced their way and she waved with her free hand. She moved towards them, frowning.

"How long have you guys been here?" Catherine whispered.

"Well, Nick's been here all along. I got here a few hours later, I guess."

"Have you slept?"

"I fell asleep here for a while, but not really. It's OK- I'm not working tonight."

"Well, I am, and I've gotten a bit of sleep... why don't you head home and catch up."

"It's OK, Catherine. I think I'm beyond sleeping. I'll sleep tonight."

"Well, you must be hungry at least. I can take a shift as _shoulder _for a while."

Sara looked up gratefully, but then looked down at Nick skeptically. She was about to question how they'd make the move when Catherine placed her hand gently under Nick's head and told Sara to move. Sara slipped out and Catherine slid quickly into her spot. Nick continued to sleep deeply on his new pillow, none the wiser.

Sara dug in her bag for her wallet. "You want anything?"

"A coffee'd be nice, but don't rush back with it. Take your time and eat something decent."

Sara nodded and headed down the hall.

Catherine put her arm around Nick's shoulder, and felt her maternal instincts kicking in. She'd gotten the whole story from the station and had been in a state of shock for the entire drive to the hospital.

_Poor Nicky_.

Alex had quickly become important to him, that much they'd all cottoned on to; but Catherine had a sneaking suspicion it went even deeper than they all suspected. Nick had fallen hard, she was certain.

She looked up as a woman came out through the metal doors that led into the ICU, and stared down the hall towards all the windows of the rooms. She wondered what room Alex was in.

She couldn't believe what had happened to the woman. She didn't know her that well yet, but what she knew she liked... Catherine felt a minute of helplessness and then mentally shook her head.

_We see all the worst things that happen to people every day_... _and usually to people who don't deserve it_.

Life wasn't fair, that much was for sure.

Nick shifted on her shoulder, and she heard him exhale loudly. He raised his head, rubbing his eyes, and then he looked at her.

"Catherine? When did you get here?"

"About 15 minutes ago. I sent Sara off to get something to eat. I'm thinking you should probably join her..."

"I'm not really very hungry..."

"Nick, when did you last eat?"

He got a faraway look in his eyes, and Catherine wondered where he'd gone all of a sudden.

He was thinking about breakfast with Alex, how natural they'd felt together... He couldn't believe that had only been this morning. He must have mumbled the words out loud because Catherine spoke up.

"Well, breakfast must have worn off long ago. Nicky, you need to eat. Please."

He looked at her strangely and asked, "Have you gotten a hold of Alex's parents yet?"

Catherine nodded. "We got a hold of her sister. Her parents are apparently on some road trip, and she's left them messages on their home phone. She should be en route as we speak."

Nick nodded and looked down at his feet.

"Nick?"

He looked back up at her.

"Food? You need something to eat. Please. I'll stay right here. I'll come find you if something comes up, I promise."

She saw his shoulders rise slightly as he took in a big breath. He spoke through the exhale.

"OK... you're right. I won't be long."

She queezed his hand as he rose. "It's going to be alright Nick. I have a feeling."

He smiled at her tiredly and nodded, then headed down the corridor looking for the cafeteria.

Catherine took a look at her watch. She had a few more hours until shift started, and she settled into her chair. Nick was going to need all the support he could get right now.

* * *

Sara got up from her seat. "I'm going to do a coffee run. Anyone need one?"

Nick nodded and dug in his pockets for money, but she brushed him off.

"Please Nick. I think I can buy you a coffee... But just this one time." She grinned at him.

He tried to smile back, but the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. She felt her own shoulders droop slightly, but turned quickly, trying not to look saddened for his sake.

"Ill be right back." She called over her shoulder.

Nick sat staring at the wall across the hall, his elbows resting on his knees. Catherine rubbed his back lightly.

"Listen sweetie, I have to get to work, but I'll check in. Do you have your cell phone?"

He shook his head. "No, I think I left it at work this morning. My pager's in the Denali."

"Give me your keys and I'll go bring it back for you. You can call me when there's news, and I'll page you with anything on my end, OK?."

He passed her his keys and then looked up at her with a confused expression.

"Cath, I don't know where I parked..."

"Don't worry. I'll find it."

She made her way out to the parking area and spotted his Denali quickly. At least she hoped it wasn't Sara's...

* * *

Making her way back inside, as she passed the front reception, she noticed a tall brunette woman with blood-shot eyes talking to the receptionist. She looked familiar...

"Excuse me? Are you Alex Winter's sister?"

The woman turned, surprised.

"Yes, yes I am. Do you know her? Do you know where she is?"

Catherine nodded. "I'll take you to ICU."

She looked back at the receptionist. "Can you please page Alex Winter's doctor- she'll want to see her family member immediately."

Catherine started to lead the woman down the hall.

"My name's Catherine Willows. I'm with the Las Vegas crime lab."

"Madeline Winters. Please call me Maddie. You're a friend of Alex's?"

"Not exactly. We were working on her case and I did get to know her a little bit..."

"Her case? What _case_?"

Catherine stopped. "Listen Maddie, before we go on, I should probably explain..."

The other woman watched her closely, and Catherine watched a number of emotions rolling across her face... shock, anger, anguish... as she told her the whole story.

"Why didn't she tell us what was happening?" She looked hurt, and Catherine felt sympathy for her.

"My guess would be that she didn't want to alarm you."

Maddie shook her head. "She never tells us anything... that _girl_ can keep a secret like there's no tomorrow..." She wiped at the tears that were starting to run down her cheeks.

"I need to see her... what did the doctor say?"

Catherine relayed what Nick had told her.

"Nick? That's the one who was with her? Who tried to..."

She started to sob quietly, facing the floor. Catherine put an arm around the woman's shoulders and started walking her down the hallway.

"Yeah, that's him. He's still in the waiting room. They won't let him see her because he's not family."

Maddie nodded, getting control of her emotions once again. "I need to thank him."

Catherine smiled. "I'm sure he'll appreciate that. During the last week they seemed to be getting... _closer_, I think."

Maddie looked a bit surprised at that, but it passed and Catherine went on.

"I think he blames himself for what happened."

They rounded a corner and Maddie looked angry.

"The only person I blame is that bastard who shot her. I hope he rots in hell."

Catherine didn't know if now was the right time to tell her that Meadfield was still alive... She decided it was better to let her know everything up front; no surprises.

"Maddie, there's something else... The guy who did this... he's still _alive_. He survived."

Maddie looked sickened. "_What_? I just _assumed_..." Her eyes began to well up again. "Well then, I'm going to make it my personal goal to have him put in prison for the rest of his life." She wiped the tears away angrily.

Catherine nodded back to her, admiring her strength. "I'd like to help you with that."

They turned a corner and a nurse approached them.

"Miss Winters? Doctor Martinez is on her way. She'll meet you in the waiting room down the hall shortly."

Maddie nodded and they resumed walking, the waiting area now in sight.Sara had returned just ahead of them, and Nick had his head in his hands again. Sara was tapping him on the shoulder, and he looked up. Seeing Catherine and the other woman approaching, he kept his eyes trained on them.

Catherine introduced them as she and Maddie reached them.

"This is Alex's sister, Maddie. This is Sara Sidle..." Sara reached out to grasp the woman's hand.

"It's nice to meet you." She smiled sypathetically.

Maddie nodded and turned to Nick.

"Are you Nick?"

He nodded and looked at Catherine, hesitantly. He'd been worried about facing Alex's family, knowing they'd be angry at him for letting this happen to Alex...

"Nick, thank you... thank you _so much_ for trying to protect Alex. I... I don't know how to thank you."

She gave him a watery smile and he was reminded of Alex. He couldn't register what she was saying...

I_s she thanking me_?

He stared back in disbelief, his own eyes getting teary again.

"I...?"

"I know she wouldn't be here now if it wasn't for you. I... my family... we owe you _so much_."

He choked back a sob and Maddie walked over and embraced him, tears running down her face. He held her back tightly and looked at Catherine over her shoulder. Through his own tears, his expression conveyed his shock at what Maddie had said to him. Catherine smiled gently at him.

The doctor finally appeared from down the hallway. "Ms. Winters?"

Maddie stepped away from Nick and looked at the approaching woman. "Yes? Are you the attending?"

The woman nodded, introducing herself. "Andrea Martinez."

Maddie replied. "Madeline Winters. I'm a doctor- family medicine. Can you tell me what her condition is?"

The doctor looked at the people surrounding them, but Maddie shook her head.

"Just tell me now. It's OK."

The doctor explained in advanced medical terms what exactly they were dealing with, and Nick understood exactly half, but he still gave the doctor his undivided attention.

"Has the swelling gone down any more?" Maddie asked.

The doctor motioned down the hall. "Let's go take a look."

Maddie looked at the others and smiled slightly. "Wait here. I'll be back to tell you what's going on."

Nick smiled gratefully and Sara put an arm around his shoulders. Catherine watched the two women walk down the hall and she looked at Nick.

"I've gotta go guys, but keep me posted. Here's your pager, Nick. I'll keep an eye out for your cell phone."

He took the pager, and much to Catherine's relief he finally looked at least a little less strained than he had earlier.

"Thanks Catherine... for _everything_."

She shrugged. "I just told her the truth, Nick. Just the truth."

She turned and walked away. Sara squeezed Nick's shoulders.

"Let's take a seat, partner."

Weary, but feeling a little better, he sat down and waited for Alex's sister to return.


	19. Chapter 19

_**A.N**_: Keeping in mind my medical knowledge is basic at best, and that goes doubly for my hospital policy facts ... Remember: Suspension of _disbelief_ is key!

* * *

Maddie came back about half an hour later, and Nick stood up, looking at her expectantly. Sara stood behind him, and Maddie filled them in.

"It's looking good. Dr. Martinez said the swelling has gone down substantially since this afternoon. They hope to check for any hematomas in the morning."

Nick nodded, somewhat relieved.

"How soon before they know if... if there was any brain damage?"

"I'd like to say tomorrow, but that's being optimistic. It's hard to think like a doctor when it's your sister..."

She smiled sadly and Nick looked at her sympathetically.

"I'm sorry... We shouldn't be cornering you like this. You must be feeling _so_..."

She shook her head. "It helps me to talk to people. You develop this thick skin as a doctor, but sometimes, it gets the better of you anyway. And I'm just so happy that Alex has had someone here with her until I could arrive. I know you don't think you've done much, but it means so much to me, really. Thank you so much." She smiled genuinely at Sara and Nick.

Sara didn't know how to respond, never having been good with compliments.

"Uh, it was nothing, honestly. She's a great person. We all really like her..."

She looked tentatively at Nick, then looked away. He didn't seem to know what to say either.

"I... I want her to be _OK_, Maddie. There's still a good chance she'll come through this alright, isn't there?"

Maddie was touched by the man's genuine concern. Catherine said he and Alex had gotten _close_...

"Yes, there's a _really_ good chance as far as I'm concerned. And that's the doctor speaking, not the sister."

She smiled slightly, and again Nick was taken aback at the similarities between her and Alex.

"And knowing my sister as I do, I also know how much she hates people fussing over her... I think you should go home and get some sleep. You look like you've been through the ringer..."

"No, I'll be alright. I want to stay here and..."

"Nick, she's not going to wake up tonight, I'm certain of that. Her body is trying to heal; it's conserving energy, and she won't wake up until it feels like she's stronger. Please, there's nothing more you can do here."

He looked back, a hint of stubbornness in his eyes.

_I like this guy_, she decided on the spot.

"I'll make you a deal. If you go home and get some sleep, I'll make sure you get in to see her tomorrow when you come back."

He looked torn. He was exhausted, but he really didn't want to leave. He wanted to be close by, even though he knew he couldn't see her. He just didn't feel right leaving. Still, maybe Maddie was right. And she was here now, so Alex wouldn't be alone, and if there was a chance he got to see her...

"OK. I'll be back in the morning. Expect me early."

Maddie smiled. "I'll see you in the morning. And thank you two again, for everything you've done. You've been so kind."

They nodded again and Sara took Nick by the arm.

"Let's go. I'm driving."

When they reached the parking lot, Nick paused. "Sara, I want to drive home. I need to be able to drive back in the morning."

"Nick, I can come and get you, just call me..."

"No, Sara... I'm tired, but I'll be fine. I can drive home."

She looked unimpressed, but the stubborn set of his jaw prevented her from arguing.

"OK, but I'm going to follow you home; make sure you don't end up in a ditch somewhere."

"Fine."

He started to climb into his SUV, but he stopped and climbed back out, calling to Sara.

"_Sara_?"

She stopped and turned back. "Yeah? You OK?"

"Yeah. I just want to thank you, Sara. You've been a good friend to me tonight. I won't forget it."

She smiled at him and turned back towards her car.

"I may need some painting done in my place soon..."

He smiled at her retreating back.

_Thanks Sara_.

* * *

He'd tossed and turned at first, but had finally fallen into a deep, dreamless sleep.

When he woke up, he temporarily forgot what had happened the day before. As he felt a slight twinge where his stitches were, it all came flooding back and he looked at his alarm clock. 6:17 am.

He pulled his stiff body from under the sheets and stepped over the clothes he'd thrown on the floor as he'd fallen into his bed the night before.

He padded into the bathroom in his boxers, looking at his reflection in the mirror as he flicked on the light. The bandaid on his cheek rested below a slightly purple, bruised eye. He could see a bit of blood in his scalp and wondered if he could shower with the stitches in.

Deciding he would be careful, he stripped off his shorts and climbed under a stream of warm water. He felt the aches in his body begin to relax a bit, and he looked down at his ribs, feeling a delicate spot. There was a small amount of bruising, but he figured nothing was cracked or broken because he would have felt it more as he'd climbed out of bed.

He frowned as he remembered his last set of cracked ribs; when Nigel Crane had knocked him out of a second story window. He'd had stitches then too. Nick put his head up against the shower wall and grimaced as he thought about his stalker.

_That's one more thing Alex and I have in common_...

He focussed on the important part of that last train of thought: _Alex_.

He hurried to clean himself up so he could get back to the hospital.

* * *

He strolled down the corridor, a coffee in each hand. As he reached the ICU reception desk, he set them down.

"I'm looking for Dr. Madeline Winters; she's the sister of...

"Alex Winters; right. Just one moment."

She moved from behind the desk and went through the steel doors. Nick blew on his coffee and took a sip.

A few minutes later, the nurse returned. "She'll be right out."

Nick nodded his thanks and waited, pacing slightly. Maddie finally made an appearance. She smiled as she saw him.

"Morning, Nick. You look a little better today."

"I feel better. Thanks. You were right. I needed some sleep."

She looked at his scalp and squinted a bit. "Your stitches look OK too."

He was surprised she'd noticed them after all that had happened. He'd barely remembered where he'd parked his car yesterday. Then again, she was a doctor and that was her business.

"Yeah. They feel OK. A bit stingy. My head doesn't hurt as bad today though. At least not yet."

"Do you have some painkillers?"

"I haven't filled the prescription yet. I'll do that later..."

He looked at her expectantly, and she smiled.

"The doctor is going to check her out in about 20 minutes. I think the swelling's gone down a lot from last night, though."

Nick looked happy at the news.

"Oh, I got you a coffee..."

He grabbed it from the counter and handed it to her. She nodded appreciatively.

"Mmmmm. Thank you. Just what I needed."

He pulled some creamers and sugar packets from his pocket, and she laughed.

"You're so prepared. Thank you."

"No problem." He looked at her carefully. "So, will I be able to see her? After the doctor examines her?"

"I'll make sure, Nick."

He nodded, relieved beyond words. He'd had a terrible feeling on the drive over that things would fall through and he wouldn't be allowed in to see her. He smiled tentatively and moved to the seats, and she followed him. They sipped their coffees quietly for a moment, and then Nick spoke.

"Did Catherine tell you about the guy who did this to her?"

"That he's still alive, you mean? Yeah. I checked on his status this morning."

Nick looked surprised. "And?"

"And he's in a coma. One of the bullets lodged near his spinal column and an artery. It cut off circulation to his brain intermittently, and he fell into a coma. They removed the bullet, but they're uncertain how long it will last."

Nick shook his head and swore, then apologized to Maddie.

"Sorry." He sighed.

"Don't apologize to me. I hope the bastard never wakes up."

Nick grimaced. "That's too good for him, if you ask me."

Maddie nodded, but didn't comment. She knew her Hippocratic Oath involved preserving life, but sometimes she questioned the validity of that promise. But it wasn't her choice to make this time, anyway.

Dr. Martinez approached from down the hall and Maddie stood up to join her. She set down the empty coffee cup and smiled at Nick, hope in her eyes. He held on to it, since it was all he had right now.

* * *

He paced the hallway for an hour before Maddie came out to get him. She looked calm, and he took solace in the fact that she wasn't upset. She saw the question in his expression, and spoke.

"The swelling is almost completely down, Nick. It looks really good." Then she looked a bit uncomfortable.

"I know I told you that you could see her this morning..."

He frowned immediately and she cut him off before he could protest.

"But they want to run a scan to look for any physical damage to the brain. They need to get it done quickly, so you're going to have to wait until this afternoon. But you _will_ be allowed in, I promise."

He sighed, but he understood. "It's OK. I'll wait here."

She looked at him with concern. "It could be a few hours Nick, why don't you..."

"I'll wait here, if that's OK. I've got nowhere else to be."

She smiled at him.

"OK. Wait here. I'll..." She stopped as her cell phone began to ring in her pocket. "Excuse me a moment."

She moved down the hall a bit and Nick sat down. He watched as she spoke and he thought she seemed to become a bit emotional for a second, but as he watched, he saw her regain her composure quickly. After about 10 minutes, she hung up.

Walking back to Nick she looked a bit troubled.

"That was my folks. They're a bit distraught, understandably. They're somewhere in the Rockies and they just checked the messages. They're trying to get to the nearest airport, but I don't know how soon they'll make it here. They're hours away from anywhere... I hope my father's driving because my mom will be too distracted. I told them not to rush because the last thing we needed was another accident."

She looked stressed all of a sudden.

"God, I hope she's awake by the time they get here."

Nick looked at her compassionately. "I can pick them up at the airport when they get a flight. Just let me know."

She looked over at him, impressed again by his thoughtfulness. "Thanks. That would be very helpful, actually."

She sighed. "I'm just glad Sam isn't coming... That's our brother. He's in Tokyo right now, but I told him that there was no need for him to fly all the way back until we knew what was happening. He's a little too _sensitive_ for this sort of stuff. Which reminds me... I'd better call him. I'll come back soon Nick."

She patted his knee and went through the big doors. He watched her leave, and found himself comparing her to Alex.

She looked to be a few years older, and a few inches taller. Her eyes were blue, and her hair was a bit darker and a bit browner than Alex's, which seemed to have some auburn tints to it. They both seemed pretty _together_, but Maddie had an extra aura of control about her, like she could handle anything. Nick had noticed the wedding band on her finger and wondered what her husband was like.

She seemed like a nice woman, either way, and her presence somehow made Nick feel like Alex was in good hands. He leaned back in his chair and reached for a magazine on the side table.

* * *

He'd been through 3 magazines before he realized he couldn't remember a single thing he'd read. He sat them down and leaned his head back against the wall. The headache was returning. Looking at his watch, he realized about an hour and a half had passed. He got up and made his way to the pharmacy.

As he returned to the waiting area, he smiled as he saw Catherine standing by the reception desk. She was questioning the receptionist when she looked up to see Nick.

"Oh, nevermind. He's here. Thanks."

He closed the lid on his bottle of water as he reached her and she gave him a hug.

"Hey there, mister. _Hmmm_... A change of clothes. And you've gotten some colour back in your face... you managed to go home and sleep?"

He nodded and grinned sheepishly. "Doctor's orders."

Catherine smiled back. "I knew there was something about that woman I liked; she can push men around."

He chuckled a bit, and she felt a sense of relief that he was still capable of laughing.

She didn't want to spoil the good mood, but she wanted to know how Alex was, and she asked him about her.

"The swelling's mostly down and they're running some brain scans, looking for damage. I'm hoping if they can't see anything, that means she'll be OK"

Catherine nodded. "Yeah, I'd think that would be the logical conclusion."

She was happy to see that he looked far more hopeful this morning.

"Here's your cell phone, although I doubt you can use it in here..."

"Yeah, I imagine it's a doctor priviledge thing. Or at least, they're the ones who can get away with breaking the rules."

She nodded in agreement. "Probably. Anyway, I'm going to go grab a coffee- Do you want one?"

"Uh, sure. Caffeine is a good thing right now. Adds a little kick to my painkillers."

She turned to go. "I'll pretend I didn't hear that..."

* * *

After she returned with the coffees, the two of them sat quietly in the lounge and Nick asked her about her last night's shift. Finally, Maddie returned and Nick and Catherine stood up and approached her.

Maddie smiled at Catherine. "Nice to see you again."

"You too."

"Well, the scans went well. They can't see any obvious damage. That doesn't mean there isn't something hidden, but the chances have lowered substantially, thank God."

She looked so relieved that Catherine remembered that this wasn't just some doctor; this was Alex's sister. She smiled encouragingly back at Maddie.

"That's great news. You must be so relieved."

"You have no idea. Now we just have to wait for her to wake up..."

She glanced at Nick and saw the hope shining in his eyes. She didn't want to put him off any longer.

"Are you ready?"

He nodded. "Let's go."

Catherine squeezed his hand again.

"Say hello for me."

"I will." He squared his shoulders and followed Maddie through the doors. They started down the hallway and she turned her head to speak to him as they walked.

"I just want to prepare you; she looks a bit _rough_..."

"I know. I saw her when they came out of the ER yesterday. I don't think she could possibly look worse than that."

"Yeah, of course." She stood outside the door. "Well, here we are. Nick, I don't know how long you'll be allowed in here. They're already breaking the rules just letting you in here at all..."

"I know. I'll leave when they ask me to, don't worry."

"OK. Let's go in."

She pushed open the door and they approached the bed.

Again, Nick was surprised at how small she looked. He was afraid to touch her; she looked too delicate, and he was afraid he'd hurt her. He hadn't noticed the sling on her arm before and asked Maddie about it.

"She had a dislocated shoulder. It's back in place, but she shouldn't move it too much for a week or so."

Maddie watched his face, and saw the gentle sadness that settled in his features. She touched his arm.

"I'll be outside if you need me."

He smiled at her thankfully. "Thanks for this, Maddie. It means a lot to me."

"It's the least I can do, and I'm sure Alex would want you here. Talk to her Nick. I'm sure she can hear you."

She headed out the door and turned back before she exited. She watched him tenderly push a strand of hair from her face, and she smiled to herself as she went outside.

"_Alex_? It's Nick... I'm here. I'm just going to hang out with you for a bit, OK?"

He picked up her hand carefully, and was almost shocked to find it warm. Relief washed over him and he pulled a chair closer and sat down.

He watched her closely, noting her quiet breathing. While still not entirely healthy looking, her face definitely had a little more colour in it today. He smiled and spoke to her again.

"I think we're both doing a little better today. You'll be good after some more rest, trust me." He looked up at the door. "I really like your sister, Alex. I think she's been taking good care of you."

He held onto her hand and leaned his head on his elbow, which rested on the bed beside her shoulder.

"Just take your time Alex. We'll all be waiting for you, don't worry." He smiled slightly. "And Catherine says '_hi_'."

* * *

After a little over an hour, a nurse finally came in and gently told him he'd have to leave. He didn't want to go, but was happy for the time he'd had with her. As he left, Maddie stood outside the door.

"How'd it go?"

'I don't know. I mostly just held her hand." He looked at her sincerely. "Thank you so much. I feel a little better. I know she's going to wake up and everything's going to be OK."

Maddie smiled. "I think so too Nick. We have to stay positive."

They started to walk out of ICU.

"My parents called. They've finally gotten to an airport, but they can't get a flight until tonight..."

"Just give me the details. I'll pick them up, no problem."

She smiled, relief suffusing her features.

"Thank you. I just don't think they'd be in the right frame of mind to get here easily. I told them Desert Palms, but... Despite the fact that they're both very bright people, they don't function well under stress, and..."

"Don't worry about it Maddie. I'll look after them."

He suddenly regarded her curiously. "Where do _you_ get it from then?"

"What?"

"The grace under pressure. You've been incredibly strong since the moment you got here."

She laughed. "From my grandfather, I guess. He was a pretty strong guy, mentally and physically."

Nick smiled. "Well, you've made me feel a little inferior... I've been a mess from the start. I'm usually more in control then this..."

She smiled at him thoughtfully.

"It's different when it's someone you really care about, Nick."

He smiled shyly, and she continued. "And I'm a doctor, so I have to hide my personal feeling sometimes, but..."

She sighed and Nick's heart went out to her. This couldn't be easy for her.

She went on. "I saw it a million times in the hospital, when I was in residence. Fear about the people you care about makes the strongest people crumble, believe me." She placed a hand on his arm. "And I think you've been great, personally speaking."

He smirked. "I don't know about that, but thanks."

Sara stood outside the doors as they entered the waiting area.

"Hey Sara, you're back."

"Yep. How's she doing."

He told her what he knew and smiled at her.

"You don't have to stay here, Sar. It's your day off. You must have stuff to do."

She gave him a gap-toothed grin. "Nope."

He laughed, and shook his head, realizing she was probably telling the truth.

"OK then. Want to join me for some fine hospital cafeteria food?"

"I can do you one better."

She walked over to her knap sack on the chair, and pulled out a brown paper bag. The smell hit his nostrils and he breathed it in deeply.

"Oh, Sara... you didn't..."

She grinned even harder. "Yep. In 'n' Out Burger; double animal style, grilled onions."

Maddie laughed as Nick grabbed the bag.

"Sara, you're a rock star. Truly."

"Well, I'll leave you to it. I'll check back with you later."

Nick looked up from behind the burger and tried to swallow his bite quickly.

"Thanks, Maddie."

She laughed and went back through the doors.

Sara looked at Nick and laughed.

"Sit down and eat that before you hurt yourself."

* * *

Nick looked out the glass doors and saw the sun getting lower in the sky as the evening came on. He turned to Sara, who was sitting reading a book.

"Sara. Go home."

'I'm good Nick."

"Sara, you've been here all afternoon. Go home and mellow out. Get some sleep. You've been here long enough. And I have to go pick up Alex's parents at the airport soon." He looked at his watch.

She looked up at him. "You sure?"

"Yes. Go home. I can't thank you enough for hanging out here with me. Not to mention that burger..." He rubbed his stomach appreciatively. "Like manna from heaven, I swear."

She grinned and stood up. "No problem, Nick. No problem. OK well... I guess I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Thanks Sara. And I'll paint _all _your rooms if you want."

She laughed. "I may take you up on that."

She slipped through the doors and Nick watched her go. He grinned.

_You never realize how great your friends are until you really need them_.

Maddie came through the ICU doors.

"Hey Nick. I just spoke to my folks and they should be landing in about half an hour."

"I better get going then. Where will I meet them?"

"I told them to meet you just outside Customs. Here's what they look like."

She showed them a picture from her wallet. He noticed another shot containing a couple of smiling girls with a happy-looking man.

"That your family? The girls are pretty."

"Yep, those are mine. And my husband. He's holding down the fort at home." She looked at the picture wistfully.

"OK. I'm out of here. I'll see you soon."

He noticed she looked a little nervous and he patted her arm.

"It'll be OK Maddie. Everything will work out... you'll see."

She breathed out a large breath. "Yeah, I know. You're right. And Dr. Martinez is heading back in to check up on her in a few minutes. I better get back in there."

"See you soon."

He went outside and hopped into his Denali. Taking a deep breath himself, he started off towards McCarran.

* * *

Back in the SUV, Alan Winters questioned Nick as his wife Abby leaned forward from the back seat.

He tried his best to calm their anxiety, but he knew it was pointless. They needed to see Alex and she needed to come out of this OK. The tall man nodded as Nick spoke.

"And this man is still alive?"

Nick shook his head ruefully. "He's in a coma. They don't know how long it will last."

Abby Winters was a bit shaken in the back, but managed to stay clearheaded.

"Well, I couldn't care less whether he lives or dies. I'm just going to concentrate on Alex right now."

Nick nodded. "I think Maddie and Dr. Martinez are taking good care of her. They were just examining her again as I was leaving."

They finally reached Desert Palms and he pulled into the parking area. As they climbed out and started walking, Mr. Winters put his hand on Nick's arm.

"Thank you for everything, Nick. Maddie told us how great you've been, and about your involvement with the ... when Alex..."

The older man seemed to be straining to remain composed, and Nick jumped in.

"Honestly, Mr.Winters, I wish I could have prevented the whole thing..."

Abby Winters interrupted. "That's ridiculous. It's my understanding that you probably saved her life. We'll never be able to repay that debt."

She put her hand in Nick's and started to walk. "Let's go. I need to see my daughters."

Nick smiled and thought to himself, _I'm not sure Maddie gets _all_ her strength from her grandfather_...

They entered the hospital and Nick led the way down to ICU. He approached the nurse at the desk and noticed it was Marcie.

"Nick, you're still hanging around here? I'm _married_, you know..." She looked at him in amusement and he chuckled.

"My loss, I'm sure. Listen Marcie, these are Alex Winter's parents. Could you go in and find Maddie Winters, and hopefully Dr. Martinez?"

She nodded and headed through the big metal doors. Nick turned to look at Alex's parents. They were discussing something quietly and he decided not to intrude, so he leaned against the counter, watching them discretely.

Alex definitely looked like her dad. Maddie had probably gotten her height from the man, but she more closely resembled her mother, who was actually closer to Alex's height, but with blue eyes and dark brunette hair with grey streaks.

Mr.Winters had the same big brown eyes as Alex, and his hair was still mostly auburn/brownish, with only a minimum of grey, although he was easily 65. They both had an alert, intelligent look about them, and Nick wondered if their son was as intelligent as Alex and Maddie seemed to be.

Just then Maddie burst through the doors and looked around quickly for her parents.

"Mom, dad... Come _quickly_. _She's waking up_."

The Winters looked at her in surprise and hurried after her. Nick hesitated for a moment, knowing it wasn't his place to go in...

His heart beat quickly and he looked around at the desk. Nobody was there.

He looked at the doors for half a second and then slipped inside and headed down the hall towards Alex's room.


	20. Chapter 20

Alex felt as if she was in a cloud.

It was warm and fuzzy and blurry, but she didn't really mind. It seemed much better than where she'd been before, although she couldn't really remember where that was.

She thought she heard someone calling her name from far away, but she couldn't be sure. She decided to just rest in the cloud. It was so _warm_...

"_Alex_?"

She was sure she'd heard her name that time, and it had been closer. She considered opening her eyes...

_But I'm so comfortable here_. _I don't feel like talking to anyone right now_.

"_Alex_, _can you hear me_?"

The voice was next to her now and she decided she may as well see who it was. She tried to open her eyes, but they didn't seem to want to cooperate.

_What's wrong with me_?

She tried again, but it almost felt painful...

M_aybe I won't open them after all_...

Then she heard a different voice.

"_Alex_? Can you hear me honey? It's _mom_..."

_Mom_? _What's mom doing here_?

She slowly began to climb back into consciousness, and she realized she wasn't sure where she was anymore.

_Mom_...

She strained to open her eyes, and she felt them begin to open. She could sense dim light surrounding her, wherever she was. She pushed them open a little more, but she couldn't see her mother yet, just some blurry shapes.

She tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come out either.

_What the hell is going on_?

Her throat felt really dry, but she tried again. She heard her own raspy voice and felt a bit shocked at the sound of it.

"_Mom_?"

She felt a squeeze on her right hand and tried to turn her head in that direction, the figure beside her still unclear. She felt a pain on the other side of her head and squinched her eyes closed.

_Oh my God_. _What's happening_?

It felt a bit light a vice-grip tightening on her skull.

She heard her mother's voice again. "Alex, honey... Come back. You can do it. Can you open your eyes?"

She heard her father's voice next. "Alex, it's dad. You can hear us can't you? Can you open your eyes for us sweetie?"

She felt her hand being squeezed again, and this time she squeezed back and tried to open her eyes again. It was less painful this time. Slowly, the blurred images began to clear and the first thing she saw was her sister standing at the foot of her bed, a worried look on her face.

"Maddie?"

She heard a muffled cry to her right side and looked over slowly, not wanting the pain in the side of her head to return. She saw her mom standing there, and her father stood beside her, his arm around her shoulders. Her mother had tears gleaming in her eyes.

"Oh _honey_..." Her mother put her hand to her mouth, trying to stifle her own sobs.

"_Mom_? What are you doing here?"

Then she looked slowly around. "Where am I? Is this a hospital?"

Her head was throbbing a bit now, and she was so thirsty she couldn't believe it.

Maddie spoke up. "Alex, you're in the hospital in Las Vegas. Do you remember what happened?"

She looked back at Maddie. "I... I don't know. What am I doing here?"

Her father spoke up. "Alex, there was an accident. You were hurt. Can you remember anything?"

"No, I don't... Dad, I'm thirsty. Can I have some water?"

"Sure, hon. Just a sec." He poured her some water and held the cup to her lips. She sipped gratefully and tried to reach up to grasp it, but found she couldn't move her arm.

_What the_...?

"My arm..."

Her father explained. "You dislocated your shoulder, Alex. Don't worry; you just need the sling for a little while. How do you feel sweetheart?"

"Uh... Pretty crappy actually. My head hurts."

They were all looking down at her with that same patronizing expression and it was starting to irritate her.

"Can someone please tell me what's going on? What happened?"

"Do you remember being in your apartment? Something happened... Do you remember?" Maddie prodded her carefully.

"I... My apartment?"

She tried to remember being in her condo, and it started to come back.

"Yeah... I was watching TV. Animal Planet. I fell asleep..."

She started to remember... James Meadfield...

_Nick_.

She tried to sit up.

"Oh God... _Nick_! Is he OK? _What_...?!!"

She felt panic shoot through, not remembering how it had ended. If anything happened to Nick she'd never be able to forgive herself...

Dr. Martinez had been standing beside her and now reached down to keep her from sitting up. "Easy now."

Maddie smiled from the end of the bed.

"He's fine Alex. _In fact_..." She looked over to the doorway where she'd noticed the man hovering a moment ago.

He looked back at Maddie, eyes glassy. She nodded to him, trying to encourage him to come all the way inside the room. He smiled timidly and moved towards the bed.

"_Alex_?"

She turned her head to see him better, and her relief was palpable. Maddie smiled secretly, realizing that her sister obviously cared a great deal for this man.

"_Nick_... Thank God. Are you OK?" She looked him over carefully, and tears began to well up in her eyes.

He shook his head, laughing lightly.

"Am _I_ OK? Alex, you're lying in a hospital bed, lucky to be alive, and you're asking if _I'm_ OK?"

His eyes were still watery, but no tears fell. He sniffled a bit and put his hand on the side of her bed, afraid to touch her hand in the sling.

"Alex, you're family is here and we've all been worried sick. You've been out for over _24 hours_."

She looked at everyone around her, confused. Dr. Martinez introduced herself and explained Alex's injuries to her. She looked shocked for a moment.

"Am I... Am I _OK_?"

Her dad laughed happily.

"Sweetie, we weren't sure if you would have some sort of brain damage, but you seem OK. How do you feel? Does anything feel... strange?"

She moved her head a bit and felt more pain on the left side.

_Ouch_. _OK, don't move like that for a while_...

She wiggled her fingers and toes, then stretched her legs a bit...

"I think so. I mean, stuff hurts, but... I think I'm OK."

She looked at Maddie questioningly and she smiled back encouragingly.

Dr Martinez spoke again. "It doesn't look like there's any brain damage, but I'll need to examine her again more carefully. I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you all to leave for a little while."

Alex looked at her parents, knowing they'd want to stay. She smiled as she saw her mother's stubborn face.

"Go, mom. I'm OK. Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere."

Her mother nodded, and her father began to guide her out by the shoulders.

"We'll see you in a bit, hon." Her father smiled warmly at her and she felt a little better still.

"OK."

Hersister saw Alex turn to look at Nick as he started to go. Maddie touched his arm gently, giving him a look that said, _wait a sec_... He looked up at her enquiringly, but she spoke to Dr. Martinez.

"Doctor, can I speak to you for a moment in private outside?"

Dr. Martinez nodded, and Maddie looked at Nick, motioning towards Alex with her head. He looked back at her, thankfulness shining in his eyes. He walked around to Alex's right side.

She looked up at him and her eyes were still gleaming with tears.

"Nick... _I'm so sorry_. I never should have..."

"_Shhhh_. _Don't_. This was not your fault. And I'm fine... You're the one who had us all worried."

He blew out a breath and ran his fingers through his hair, hardly noticing the sting where his stitches were. "God, Alex... when I saw you lying there, I thought... I thought I'd _lost_ you."

His eyes were glistening again and she reached out to grab his hand.

"Nick, I..." She started to cry and he fought back his own tears, but felt a few running down his cheeks anyway.

"_Shhh_. It's alright... You're OK... We're _both_ OK. Everything's going to be alright now."

He looked down at her and tried to smile through the tears. She sniffled and he moved to grab a Kleenex, but she held tight to his hand.

"Wait... _Please don't go_ _Nick_. I..."

Dr. Martinez and Maddie came back into the room and Nick looked up at them and nodded. Alex let go of his hand regretfully and heaved a big sigh. He smiled tenderly at her.

"Get some sleep, Alex. I'll be back."

She smiled back, and he thought his heart might burst. Just 24 hours ago, he'd worried that he might never see that smile again, and yet here it was warming his heart like never before.

He left the room slowly, watching her the entire way to the door. She watched him as well.

Then he was gone.

* * *

"Well, Alex. I think you're going to be OK. I think we can rule out any brain damage." Dr. Martinez smiled down at her. "And now I think you need some sleep."

She began to protest. "But I've been sleeping for _24 hours_."

She yawned despite her objections.

Maddie laughed. "Alex, _unconsciousness_ does not always equal _sleep_. You need real, honest to goodness R.E.M action. Trust me. I'm a doctor, remember."

"_Heh_. You never let me forget."

Maddie smirked. "Yep, definitely no brain damage here, doctor. She's as much of a smartass as ever."

She felt nothing but relief at her sister's old antics however, and couldn't help but chuckle a little.

Alex raised her right hand to her head and felt around gingerly.

"Oh _man_. I must look like something out of M.A.S.H." She felt under the bandage a bit. "Please tell me you didn't shave my head or cut off my hair or anything." She frowned in consternation.

Maddie shook her head. "Alex, I hardly think now's the time for vanity. We'll all love you just the same, even if you look like a hideous freak."

Alex tried to look annoyed, but she was too tired. She laughed lightly.

"Oh, _Maddie_. It's good to see you."

Maddie smiled secretly. "And besides, I'm pretty sure he won't mind."

Alex looked up guiltily and tried not to blush but failed miserably. "_Who_?"

Maddie just smiled and shook her head.

"Alex, I'm a woman remember? And I'm your sister, more importantly."

Alex tried to look like she didn't understand, but Maddie continued.

"And it doesn't take a dent in that thick skull of yours for me to see what's in your mind."

Her eyes twinkled with suppressed amusement.

Alex couldn't think of anything to say. "I think I _am_ a bit tired, Maddie."

Maddie smiled knowingly. "Yes, you are. And don't be surprised if you wake up with mom sleeping in the chair beside you. Now get some sleep, kiddo. You need it."

Alex grinned at her sister. "Thanks Maddie. I really _am_ glad you're here."

"I wouldn't be anywhere else. Now get to sleep."

* * *

Nick sat in the waiting room chairs beside Mr. and Mrs. Winters. Maddie and Dr. Martinez came outside and they all stood again.

"She's going to be fine. There's nothing at all to indicate brain damage."

Everyone heaved a sigh of relief, and she continued.

"She'll just need to take it easy for a while. Even her head injury has already started to heal a little. It's lucky she was so healthy to begin with. She'll be up and around in no time."

Nick felt even more positive then he had when he'd spoken to Alex.

_Thank God_. _Everything's going to be OK_.

Maddie smiled at them. "She's going to sleep now. I figure she should sleep normally tonight. She's exhausted."

The Winters looked around at each other and took in Nick's weary appearance. Mrs. Winter took his hand again.

"Honey, you look tired." She gently touched his cheek by the bandaid. "And you're not 100 percent either, I can see. I think you need to go home and get some sleep. Come back in the morning." She rubbed his arm gently.

He didn't want to leave, but he knew Alex's family wanted to stick close to her, and he wouldn't be allowed back in tonight.

"Well, I guess... Since she's OK..."

He still looked hesitant, and Mr. Winters spoke up.

"Son, you're _wiped_. Go home. We want to see you nice and refreshed tomorrow, because we're going to need to use you shamelessly." He looked at his two ladies. "I hope you realize that I can't possibly live on hospital food."

They all laughed and Nick nodded. "I'll take care of you, no worries."

"Good. And don't forget the coffee in the morning. The good stuff. Two sugars, two creams."

Abby Winters smacked him lightly on the arm. "_Al_! Let the poor boy be! He's not your personal servant!"

Nick laughed again. "OK. I'll see you all in the morning."

He sighed in relief again and they all smiled.

"We'll see you then."


	21. Chapter 21

_**A.N**_: Well guys, I hope you don't mind the family vignettes I've added to this chapter... I felt the need to relax the pace for a minute here, but I'll get back on track near the end. I can't help myself; I'm in no hurry to finish this story. I'm enjoying myself far too much! And this is another long one, thanks to my ramblings. Thanks for your anticpated patience with me... ;)

* * *

Alex watched as her mother fussed with everything.

Her pillows needed careful fluffing; her water glass needed to be cleaned; her Kleenex box was almost empty and should be replaced...

Alex was about to tell her to sit down and relax when she saw the look of amusement on her father's face. She couldn't help but grin back, and she laughed under her breath.

_Poor mom_. _She's totally out of her element_.

Abby Winters ran a pretty tight ship at home, and Alan Winters pretty much did what he was told. He never seemed to mind though; he adored his wife completely. Alex hadn't been surprised when Maddie had turned around and married a gorgeous man who had the same temperament as their father. It was a good thing too since Maddie was just like her mother, although she'd never admit it.

She watched her sister, reading over her chart for about the 10th time that morning. _Thorough_ and _in-control_ didn't begin to describe her sister's fastidious nature.

Alex and Maddie had clashed incessantly as children. Alex's laid-back attitudes and _'things will work out'_ attitude had been an affront to all that Maddie knew to be true. Maddie's uptight nature and attention to detail had almost driven Alex around the bend more than a few times. Only their brother Sam seemed to be the happy medium, always trying to keep his two sisters from killing each other. He took after their father, and just wanted everyone to be happy.

_Still_, Alex thought, _I love Maddie more than anything_._ She's always there when I need her_. _Like now_.

She smiled at her fondly. Maddie looked up and saw her smiling.

"What?"

Alex shook her head slightly. "Nothing." She kept smiling.

"Do I have something on my face?" She raised her hand to wipe at her mouth.

Alex laughed. "No... _Maddie_, I'm just happy you're here."

Maddie looked surprised for a moment, and then smiled back.

"That's what older sisters are for. Sam was ready to jump on a plane too, you know. But I told him to wait and let me see how serious it was."

"Yeah, that was a good call. It would have been such a waste; flights from Tokyo are expensive..."

Maddie frowned. "It wouldn't have been a waste Alex. You're our little sister..."

"I know... _I mean_... I'm OK, and it would have been a long trip for him."

Alan watched his daughters affectionately. He couldn't be prouder of his children. He would have liked to see Sam, but under different circumstances. It was just as well he hadn't come back to North America.

Maddie looked at her mother, still picking at everything she could get her hands on.

"Mom, will you _stop_? You're driving us all crazy with your fidgeting!"

Alex giggled and her father started to chuckle. Both Maddie and Abby Winters looked at them bemusedly, and Maddie asked, "What's so funny?"

* * *

Nick approached the reception desk, a tray of coffees in one hand, a bag of breakfast goodies in the other. The morning nurse went to fetch one of the Winters.

As the big doors opened, Nick looked up.

"Nick... _ah_, you brought me my coffee. You're a scholar and a gentleman." Alan Winters eyed the bag in his other hand. "What else did you bring me?"

Nick had barely opened his mouth when Mrs. Winters appeared.

"_Mmmmm_. That smells good. Can I?" She looked at the coffees hopefully and Nick nodded.

"Take your pick. I've already had mine."

She took one off the tray and grabbed for the creamers. Mr. Winters started to peek into the paper bag and Abby tapped his hand lightly.

"_Ahem_. Let me see what's in there first."

She pulled out buttery croissants and a donut, then found what she was looking for.

"Ah, here you go, dear. A nice bran muffin."

Mr. Winters sighed and took the muffin, mumbling to himself.

"You think I could at _least_ eat a _croissant_... I mean, I'm in _Vegas_ for chrissakes..."

Maddie appeared last and caught her father's mumbling.

"Mom, dad is healthy as a horse. He can eat the occasional croissant."

Abby looked sternly at her daughter. "The reason he's so healthy is because I _keep_ him that way."

Maddie looked annoyed and rolled her eyes. Nick glanced at Alan, who gave him a quick grin, and then looked more serious as his wife looked over at him.

Nick smiled to himself. Alex's family was... _entertaining_. And very nice. He imagined many an interesting evening in the Winters household...

Maddie crossed over to him and grabbed a coffee.

"Thanks Nick. Perfect timing. If I didn't get caffeine soon, I may have had to kill somebody." She glanced casually at her mother and Nick laughed.

"No problem. How's Alex doing this morning?"

She smiled. "Excellent. She's in full smart-ass mode which to me indicates she's felling better."

Nick laughed and was secretly overwhelmed with feelings of happiness.

"Can I see her?"

"Well, if you can wait, Dr. Martinez is going to check her out in about half an hour I think, and then we may be moving her to a regular room. Thank God she's got medical coverage for the States or this could have gotten costly."

Nick nodded, but was more interested in the room move.

"So, when will they move her, if they go ahead with it?"

"Probably this morning sometime. And then you know what _that_ means..."

He looked at her curiously, and she went on.

"Full access. You can see her as much as you want." She looked at him knowingly, a sparkle in her eyes.

He smiled back and felt a little colour rising in his face.

"Yeah, that'll be good. I know other people will want to see her."

"_Mmm hmmm_." Maddie continued to watch him and he shifted uncomfortably. He looked at the food and asked her if she was hungry.

She got the hint and smirked at him as she picked up a croissant.

* * *

"Wow, a _window_ and _sunlight_. Much better. Now if I could just get a _shower_..."

She looked wistfully at the bathroom door to her left.

"I'm afraid that until that head wound has healed a little more, you'll be looking forward to your share of sponge baths." Maddie laughed.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you." Alex grimaced.

"Well, maybe a little."

Alex tried to sit up a little straighter and her mother moved to her side.

"Oh, dear, do you think that's a good idea?"

Alex frowned. She loved her family, but hanging out with them non-stop was starting to wear thin already.

"Hey, you know what guys? I'm feeling better, and I was thinking I'd just watch some TV or something... why don't you take some time and check out Las Vegas? The casinos are fantastic... they're massive and..."

"Honey, we're here for _you_, not a _vacation_."

Her mother frowned at her. Alex looked at her father, pleadingly.

"Dad, I know you'd love it... I mean, I interrupted your vacation and everything. Please. I feel bad."

"Honey, that's silly we..."

"Abby." Her father spoke up, and Mrs. Winters looked up.

"Let the girl have some space. She's just been through a horrible event and I'm sure she just wants to sit still and breathe for a while. Let's go get some fresh air."

"But..."

"Let's go."

Alex and Maddie smiled at each other conspiratorially. Their father didn't use '_the voice'_ that often, but when he did, people knew he meant business. And that included their mother.

As her father ushered her mother out, Alex smiled gratefully at him and mouthed the words _I love you_. He smiled and mouthed them back. Maddie followed them out.

Alex sighed and stretched her free arm over her head.

_Ah, peace at last_...

She'd just begun watching the noon news when there was a tap at the door. Her heart started to speed up...

_Nick_?

Catherine poked her head through the door. "Hey there, Alex. Can I come in?"

Alex smiled. "Of course."

Catherine came in and put a vase of flowers beside her bed. "You look pretty good... I have to admit I was expecting much worse."

Alex thanked her for the flowers and then smirked in chagrin.

"Yeah, except for the greasy hair in the weird head-band thingy. Please tell me I don't look like _Keith Richards_."

Catherine laughed. "No. I think it's safe to say you look _much _better than Keith Richards, even on his good days." She smiled, concern behind her eyes. "You had us worried there for a bit, Alex. That was pretty close."

Alex regarded her seriously. "I know. I feel so bad for what I've put everyone through... I never should have gone back to the apartment. That was a stupid move. And a stupid _risk_. If anything had happened to Nick..."

She shivered a bit at the thought and Catherine smiled at her gently.

"Alex, I don't think the location would have made any difference. I think he was watching us; especially after what happened to Sara..."

Alex looked alarmed. "Sara? What happened to Sara? Is she OK?"

"She's fine. Don't worry; it's nothing like that."

Catherine explained all of the story to her, filling in the details of what had gone on after she'd been shot as well. Alex listened to her, amazed.

"My God... When I met him in the cafe, it never would have ocurred to me that he was so... so..."

"Disturbed? Yeah, we all found out the hard way." Catherine frowned. Then she patted Alex's hand. "Well, I have to get going. I just wanted to see for myself that you're OK."

"Thanks for coming by, Catherine. You guys are all so... _thoughful_."

Catherine looked back at the door.

"Actually, I'm surprised Nick's not here. I didn't see him in the waiting room, and he's not answering his phone..."

"Well, he's been here a lot already... I'm sure he must have stuff he needs to catch up on..."

"Or he went out to get you a _'get well'_ present." Nick's voice came from where he'd suddenly appeared near the door. He smiled at the two women.

Alex felt a big smile forming uncontrollably on her lips. Catherine decided she should make her exit.

"Thanks again, Catherine. And thanks for the flowers."

"Don't mention it. I'll see you both later." She slipped through the door.

Nick smiled down at Alex and pulled a chair closer to the bed. She felt a flutter in her chest as she looked back, momentarily speechless.

"So, I don't know if this is a corny present, but I thought of you when I saw it."

He pulled a small stuffed animal out of a bag and she laughed happily.

"You got me a puppy! Oh, he's so sweet... and so soft." She snuggled him to the side of her chest.

"He's so cute! I think I'll call him _Steve_..."

Nick snorted and smiled at her in amazement. "_Steve_?"

"Yeah. Don't you think he looks like a _Steve_?"

He continued laughing.

"Sure... I guess from certain angles he looks like a _Steve_."

Alex looked down at the stuffed animal and then back at Nick shyly. "Thanks Nick. I love it."

He grinned playfully at her, and pretended to duck his head modestly.

"Aw shucks ma'am. Twern't nuthin."

She laughed and looked back at him.

_Damn, he's so amazing_..._ and handsome_..._ and_...

She had a momentary flashback to their heated moment on her living room sofa, and she felt her face heat up. He looked at her with concern.

"Alex, you OK?"

"Oh... yeah... I'm just a little too warm I guess."

He got up and pulled the top blanket down so that it only covered her feet. "Better?"

"Yeah, thanks."

"So... where is everybody?"

"I managed to convince them to go and see some sights." She rolled her eyes a bit. "I love my family Nick, but they were driving me _mental_!"

He laughed. "I like your family. They're interesting... In a good way."

"Hah! That's because you've never had to live with them. I was seriously about to sneak out of here when they weren't looking... Thank God dad made mom go out for some fresh air. I needed a moment to myself."

He frowned slightly. "Oh, I'm sorry... I can go if you want to ..."

"No!..."

She paused, realizing she'd blurted the word out a little too quickly and a little too forcefully. Again, she felt embarrassment creep back up on her.

"I mean, I don't mind if _you_ stay. It's... it's um, different with you."

She smiled slightly and he felt a little bit of excitement rush over him.

"OK then. I'll stay." He looked up at the TV.

"What's on?"

* * *

He sat beside her watching TV, and they chatted intermittently about everything and anything. He was again amazed at how comfortable he felt with her... even in a hospital room.

Alex had gently eased herself over closer in her bed to the side he was sitting on, trying to be nonchalant. She desperately wanted to be back in his arms, but knew this was as good as it was going to get for now.

He looked over at her suddenly, a frown knitting his brows.

"Alex, maybe this isn't the best time but... did they tell you that James Meadfield's still alive?"

She nodded. "Yeah, Maddie told me. He's in a coma."

She felt a moment of anger, and Nick frowned.

"I just didn't want you to be surprised later... sorry, I didn't want to spoil your mood."

"It's OK. I'm just angry at what he's done. He deserves the worst..." She looked over at his black eye and the bandage on his cheek and sighed. "I'm just sorry you got caught in the middle."

He smiled and took her hand. "Don't worry about me. They make 'em tougher in Texas."

She smiled back and squeezed his hand a little tighter.

"Lucky for me... I don't think I'd be here right now if it wasn't for you, Nick. Catherine filled me in on what happened..."

"Alex, I _didn't_..."

"Yes you _did,_ Nick. That's _twice_ you've saved my life. I'm never going to be able to thank you enough. I wouldn't even know where to _begin_."

He looked uncomfortable and shrugged as he spoke.

"Alex, I didn't do anything that anybody else wouldn't have done..."

"But it wasn't anybody else, Nick. It was _you_." She looked at him seriously. "And you'll always be special to me, no matter what."

He tried to deflect the conversation, beginning to feel awkward at all the praise. "Well, technically, we're _half_-even."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you saved my life back there too... when Meadfield aimed the gun at me and you knocked him off balance. He would have shot me, you know..." He looked at her seriously.

She smiled. "Anyone would have done the same thing in my position."

He smiled back. "Yeah, but it wasn't just _anyone_... it was _you_."

She grinned and laughed, and he gave her an amused look. "OK, Nick. _OK_."

He didn't let go of her hand as they turned back to the TV.

* * *

There was a knock at the door and Marcie poked her head inside. She smiled when she saw Nick, then turned to Alex.

"Alex, there's another policeman here to see you."

Lieutenant Foreman moved inside and approached her bed. Nick nodded at him.

"Lieutenant."

"Stokes."

He nodded, then frowned slightly when he noticed Nick holding her hand. Nick felt suddenly uncomfortable and gently extricated his fingers from Alex's. He stood up and moved towards the window, listening in unobtrusively.

"Miss Winters, I'm Lieutenant Foreman. I was hoping I could ask you some questions about what ocurred the other day."

"Sure. What do you need to know?"

He asked her to recount what she remembered and she carefully replayed the events of the fateful day as best she could.

"So, you saw Shelley enter and raise his gun at James Meadfield?"

"Yes, that's right. I saw him raise his gun, and when I turned back towards Meadfield, I felt a sting in my temple and then it all went dark."

Nick frowned and looked at the ground. The scene had run through his mind a thousand times since that afternoon...

"So you never saw a shot fired?"

"By Officer Shelley? No."

""But you saw James Meadfield fire his gun?"

"Yes- he was going to shoot Nick..."

She swallowed, uncomfortable with the memory. She briefly remembered how scared she'd been.

"But you knocked him off balance and the shot went astray?"

"Yes, that's right."

"OK. That's good. Now, do you recall anything unusual... maybe actions that you might have considered excessive force?"

She frowned. She couldn't imagine Jim Shelley doing anything excessive. She thought he seemed like a pretty even-keeled guy.

"Well, like I said, I didn't see what happened after Officer Shelley got there."

"What about before Shelley arrived?"

Nick perked up at the question, a frown on his face.

"What? What do you mean?" She looked confused now too.

"There was some bruising on James Meadfield's face, and we're just trying to make sure we've covered everything that happened thoroughly."

Nick felt a moment of concern.

_What's this all about_?

"Well, I guess he got them when he struggled with Nick... I mean, Nick knocked him off me when he was... when he was trying to..."

Alex couldn't bring herself to say the word: _rape_.

_He was going to rape me and then God knows what else_.

Nick watched as a shadow crossed Alex's features and he moved back towards her. Foreman caught sight of him out of the corner of his eye.

"That's OK, Miss Winters. I understand. I think I have everything I need for now. Thank you for your time, and I wish you a speedy recovery."

He smiled at her slightly and made his way out the door. He nodded to Nick again as he disappeared.

Alex looked at Nick, concerned. "Nick, what was that all about?"

He tried to cover his own unease with a big smile. "Oh, just the regular procedures and stuff. They have to make sure they have everything, down to the smallest details. They just don't want Meadfield to get off again..."

He wasn't totally confident about that response, but he hoped she was buying it. The last thing she needed right now was more stress.

She looked at him skeptically. "It almost seemed like they were implying... like you're going to be in trouble for fighting him off me... I don't want you to get into trouble..." She continued to look concerned.

"Alex, don't worry about me. I'm not going to be in trouble. I told you; it's just regular procedure. Everything will be fine."

He moved closer and grabbed her hand again, squeezing it gently.

She finally seemed to believe him and smiled up at him slightly.

"Well, if it was up to me, I'd make sure you got a commendation or something..."

He pulled his hand back and held both arms in front of him in a warding-off gesture.

"Oh, no... don't even think about it! I got a favourable write-up in the office newsletter once because somebody I'd helped wrote a letter of thanks... Let's just say I heard about it for _days_..." He shook his head negatively to reinforce his point.

She laughed.

_I could make him a cute little gold star on paper and write_ 'Hero' _on it or something_... _that'd be funny_...

"Well then, I guess I'll just have to give you the _'Super Special Alex Winters Personal Commendation_'".

He raised his eyebrows at her in surprise and smiled in a half-stunned manner. She suddenly realized the innuendo behind what she'd just said, and felt herself turn crimson from head to toes.

"Oh, Nick, I... I didn't mean..."

He started to laugh at her embarrassment.

"It's _OK_, Alex, I know what you meant... it just sounded pretty funny."

He grinned at her mischievously and she couldn't help but laugh self-consciously.

Just then, the rest of the Winters clan returned and her father smiled as he saw his daughter laughing.

"Hey, what's the joke? Let me in on it."

Nick laughed a little harder, and Alex stumbled on her words.

"Oh dad, it's... there's... it's nothing. Really."

She noticed Maddie standing behind her parents, a perceptive look on her face as she grinned widely. Alex grimaced and looked at Nick helplessly, but he only shrugged at her and smiled some more.

"Alex, Dr. Martinez will be checking up on you shortly."

Maddie continued to smile knowingly but Alex ignored her.

"Well, actually I have some errands to run, so I guess now's as good a time as any..."

He smiled once more at Alex and made his way towards the Winters, who stood in front of the door. "Do you folks need anything?"

Mrs. Winters looked up at her husband in half-disgust.

"I think we'll be OK, especially since Alan decided to finish off half a buffet table on his own." She shook her head at her husband.

He smiled and rubbed his stomach happily. "What can I say? I like to get my money's worth."

Nick laughed and nodded appreciatively. "I know what you mean; I'm the same."

"Now _Mr_._ Stokes_, please don't encourage him. You're not helping."

Both Maddie and Alex spoke up at once.

"_Uh Ohhhhhh_...."

He looked at them in confusion and Alex elaborated.

"Oh Nick, now you've _done_ it... you know you're in the bad books with mom when she pulls out the '_Mr._'"

Maddie nodded, laughing. "Yep, you're in trouble now."

Abby looked at her daughters and shook her head. She put a comforting arm around Nick.

"Now, Nick. Don't you worry. I don't think you could _ever_ be in my bad book. I can tell you're a good boy."

He laughed, but Alex could see a bit of relief in his expression, and she smiled.

He looked back at them all. "I think I better get out of here before I really _do _get into trouble..."

Mrs. Winters patted him on the back affectionately as he turned to go.

"We'll see you soon, dear. Don't worry; I like you just fine."

He smiled at her, and as she turned away he stuck his tongue out at Alex and Maddie as he disappeared out the door, and they both giggled.

Maddie turned to Alex. "Oh I _like_ him, Alex. He's a keeper."

Alex looked back at her sister, surprised. "Maddie, I..."

Her mother interrupted her. "She's right dear. He's miles above that Darren character..."

"Daniel." Maddie corrected.

"Actually, it was _Darrell_, and I don't know what you people are _on_ about..." She sat there in shock. She'd never, _ever_ discussed her realtionships with her parents, and she'd assumed they'd been blissfully unaware of her dating life. She realized how wrong she'd been as her father joined in.

"Darrell was a moron. I like Nick- he's a good lad. And more importantly, he brings me food..."

* * *

Nick walked into the LVPD offices and began his search for Lieutenant Foreman. As he rounded a corner, he came face to face with Jim Shelley.

"Hey Nick. Whatcha doing here? I thought you were off for a few days on injury leave?"

"Yeah I am, actually. I'm just looking for Lieutenant Foreman."

Shelley thought he sensed some concern behind Nick's expression.

"I just saw him down the back... what's up? Everything OK? How's Alex?"

Nick smiled at her name. "She's doing great. You should swing by and see her; I know she'd be happy to see you, man."

Shelley smiled back. "That's good. I'd like to go by, but... I don't know, what with the way the Sheriff's been acting about this whole thing..."

"What do you mean?" Nick looked at him, confused.

"Well, the Meadfields have a team of very expensive lawyers picking at every piece of evidence we submit... I've been grilled about 5 different times on the shooting..."

Then he looked at Nick with concern. "I'm just worried they're trying to make it look like shooting him twice was excessive force or something..." He looked at Nick unhappily.

_So that's what's going on_...

It finally made sense to Nick.

"I just heard Foreman grilling Alex on why Meadfield had a bruised face, and he specifically asked her about _'excessive force'_. This is crazy. The guy tried to _kill_ her..." He could feel his temperature rising and he tried to get a grip on it.

Shelley shook his head. "It was a solid, straight-forward response as far as I'm concerned. But the Sheriff's worried they're going to drag the department through the mud during the court case. He's all over Foreman like white on rice. It's all about saving face, man and it _sucks_." He shook his head in annoyance. "I'm just trying to do my job here. I have no interest in politics."

Nick put his hand on Shelley's shoulder. "Don't worry about yourself, man. You did what had to be done. He was going to try and shoot again. You did the right thing."

Shelley nodded. "Let's hope the courts agree."

Nick decided not to pursue Foreman, having learned all he needed to know. He shook his head.

_Typical_. _When are the laws going to stop over-protecting the criminals_?

He headed out the front doors, checking his watch. Catherine should be on days off, so hopefully she hadn't gone home to sleep... He decided to give her a call and see what she'd heard about the whole situation.

He drove home and then dialed her number.

"Hello?"

"Hey Catherine, it's Nick."

"Hey Nick, what a coincidence. I was actually going to call you... there's something I think you need to know."

He frowned. "Funny, that's why I called. I've been hearing some strange things about the case and I was wondering if you've heard anything strange at work."

"Hmmm. What have you heard?"

He told her about Alex's interview with Foreman and then his chat with Shelley.

Catheine blew out a breath. "Man, I _told_ Grissom..."

"Catherine?"

"Well, I was with Grissom last night when the Sherrif made a rare late-night appearance... which in itself had me nervous... It seems he's worried about how the department will look if the Meadfield lawyers start putting everything under the microscope."

Nick sat back in his chair, dismayed. "_And_?"

"And he basically told Grissom that he was _uncomfortable_ with the idea that one of his CSI's was getting a little too personally involved with the victim." She sighed and went on. "I tried to call you today, and then when I saw you I didn't want to bring it up in front of Alex..."

Nick stared at a wall, uncomprehending. "So, what's he saying exactly?"

"He told Gris that it might be wise if you stepped back from the whole situation until things cleared a bit."

Nick felt his temperature rising again, but held it in check. He spoke calmly.

"And what did Grissom say."

"To be honest Nicky, I was sort of proud of the guy... He told him that you'd been there on your own time, and were currently still on leave, so he had no control over your actions. Then he added that even if you'd been working at the time, he still wouldn't have stopped you from helping a person in need." She laughed. "I'm pretty sure what he'd really wanted to say was 'Go _fuck_ yourself,' but he managed to restrain himself."

Nick sighed. This is what Catherine had been worried about all along, and he'd somehow managed to end up exactly where he'd promised her he wouldn't go.

_Shit_.

"What do you think Catherine?"

"Well, Nicky, I think you didn't do anything I wouldn't have done..." She sighed heavily. "But maybe you should... I don't know..."

"You think I should stay away from Alex?" He felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.

"Well, maybe just for a little while, Nick... I mean, just until they sort this out better."

Nick put his head in his free hand. He could feel a headache coming on and wondered where he'd left those painkillers...

"Catherine... I don't know if I can _do _that..."

"Listen Nick, I'm not telling you to abandon her... just, well... just pull back a little. I'm not saying I like the idea _either_, but..."

"It might protect the department from scandal?"

His voice had taken on an undercurrent of anger, and Catherine flinched at the other end of the line.

"Well, yeah, but I'm more worried about your job to be honest. I'm in full agreement with Gris, but you have to know that your actions put him in an awkward situation... and we all know how he handles awkward situations."

Nick sighed.

_Yeah_,_ not very well actually_.

He blew out a painful breath.

"OK Catherine."

"Nick?"

"It'll be OK. I gotta go." He hung up, and she stared at her phone unhappily.

Nick leaned back against the wall behind his chair and stared at the ceiling.

_Fuck_.


	22. Chapter 22

"So I can leave it off now?"

Dr. Martinez smiled at Alex. "Yes. There's absolutely no residual swelling, and besides the bruising, it's healing nicely. You probably won't even have much of a scar."

"Can I wash my hair then?" Alex looked at her hopefully.

"Yes, if you think you can handle standing in the shower."

"Yeah, I've been fine standing already so..."

Her mother looked at her shrewdly. "When were you standing? You could have fallen-"

Maddie cut in.

"It's fine, mom. I was there to supervise. We took a walk down the hall earlier. No problems."

Mrs. Winters still looked a bit put out and Maddie went on.

"Mom, remember that little thing I have called a medical degree? Those little letters after my name...?"

Mrs. Winters didn't seem to appreciate the sarcasm and gave her daughter a searing look. Dr. Martinez decided it was time to go.

"At this rate you should be out of here in a couple of days. Absolutely no more than 3."

Alex grinned. "Cool!"

Dr. Martinez slipped out of the room.

"You ready?" Maddie asked.

"For what?"

"Your shower, stinky. Let's go."

Alex sidled out of bed, being extra careful for her mother's sake, particularly with her arm in the sling. She looked at her sympathetically.

"And thanks for the new underwear, mom. I'm excited to being _wearing_ some for a change!"

Her mother had been appalled when Alex had confided in the family about her recent underwear challenges. Her parents had offered to pick some up from her apartment, but Alex was pretty sure they wouldn't be allowed near her apartment yet. And the more she thought about it, she realized she also didn't want them to see their daughter's blood all over the place... She frowned.

_Between the blood_,_ the bed, and the memories_, _I'm not sure I want to be there myself_.

Her father caught her expression, but decided to wait to talk to her when they had a moment alone.

* * *

Nick looked at his watch yet again. 7 pm. Visiting hours would be over at 9...

He imagined this must be what a heroine addict felt like when they were dying for a fix. He'd managed to stay away this long, but he was beginning to feel himself weaken.

_How would anyone know if I went by there tonight anyway_?

Frowning, he looked back at the TV.

* * *

Alex looked up at the clock. 7:45 pm.

She'd been hoping Nick would be back in to see her; she'd thought he was going to come back when he left earlier...

_Jesus, Alex_... _the guy's gotta have a life_. _What do you think he did before you knew him_?

This thought didn't make her feel any better, especially as she began to picture Nick with other women...

Thankfully, her mother disrupted that train of thought.

"Anybody feel like taking a walk? I need to stretch my legs."

"I'm in." Maddie stood up and eyed her father enquiringly. "Dad?"

"Nah, I think I'll relax in this chair a bit more before we go back to the hotel. Hang with Alex."

"OK. We won't be long." The two women left the room.

Alan pulled up a chair beside his daughter.

"Hey kiddo. How're you doing?"

"I'm good dad. It means a lot to me that you guys are all here."

"You know we wouldn't be anywhere else, sweetie. Still, you must be getting sick of this crowd scene."

"Dad..."

"Oh, I know _I'm_ charming to have around, but you must be hankering to get back to your own place; get back into your old routines."

She didn't answer right away, and he saw pensiveness behind her gaze.

"What's up, hon?"

She looked at her father earnestly.

"I don't know, dad. I just... I don't think that I can go back to that apartment. Everything that _happened_ there..." She shivered a bit. "I just don't know if I could actually live there again."

"Well, I think that's understandable, honey. I don't blame you at all." He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment. "In fact... tomorrow I'm going to see about finding you a new place."

"What?" She hadn't been expecting that one.

"Yeah. I'll go get a newspaper tonight. Yep, that's the plan. I'll pay your poor landlord for next month's rent... He's going to have to fix the place up anyway, so I'm sure he'll appreciate the extra time..."

"But dad..."

""Don't worry. I'll get Maddie to help me; she'll make sure I find something you'll like..."

"Dad."

He looked at her curiously and she frowned as she realized she didn't know what to say. Then she smiled at him, her eyes getting a bit moist.

"Thanks, dad. I always knew you were the best father in the world, but this... this is just _beyond_ that." She grabbed his hand and he smiled at her fondly.

"Alex, we'll always be there for you; you know that."

"Yeah, dad, I do."

"Listen, there's one other thing. I've been making your mother hold off from bothering you with this, but she really wants you to come home-"

"Dad..."

He held up his hands in a placating gesture. "No, don't worry. I told her you'd want to finish the next semester here, no matter what. She just wants you to come recuperate at home for a couple weeks or more."

"Oh. I hadn't really thought about it..."

"Well, now that you're a little more mobile, she's going to want to ask you about it, and I didn't want it to come at you from right field. I know how you get your hackles up when you feel she's trying to control you."

"Dad..."

"Just think it over, OK?"

He smiled at her weakly, putting on his _poor old me_ look. She laughed at his attempt at looking pathetic.

"OK, dad. I'll think it over."

This got her to thinking.

"Dad, you know how I mentioned that I might like to stay here after I graduate? Well, the last couple of months I've been more convinced that it's the right move. I mean, I've made some great friends here. Plus I've already seen some interest from the school where I did my first practicum."

"Well, if that's what you want to do, then do it. I'm sure your mother can handle it. It's only a couple hours flight from Vancouver, really. And to be honest, I'm still amazed at how well she handled Sam's move to Tokyo. I know she was hoping you'd come back to Van, but I think she'll be OK with it." He smiled at her encouragingly. "So you really like it here, huh? The Strip is pretty amazing..."

"Actually, I don't spend too much time on The Strip to be honest. Just once in a while, when I'm looking for some _action_."

She flashed him a _cool-guy_ grin and he laughed.

"That's my girl. What's your game?"

"Dad, after all those Blackjack competitions we've had, I can't believe you'd ask me that."

He smirked. "Just making sure you hadn't abandoned the family game, honey. I'm glad you're keeping the tradition alive. I was thinking I might wait until your mother's asleep and sneak out to _Ceasar's_ tonight..."

He grinned craftily and she laughed again.

"Yeah right. I'll _believe_ it when I _see_ it..."

There was a tap on the door and they both looked up. Nick peered in through the window and Mr. Winters gave him the come-in wave.

Alex felt her temperature rising immediately. He looked particularly handsome tonight for some reason. He was just wearing a baggy pair of jeans and a navy T-shirt, but she felt her pulse racing.

Her father smiled at him. "Hey Nick. Glad you came. I'm just about to abandon my daughter in search of a newspaper. You couldn't recommend one with good classifieds, could you?"

"Hmmm, I'd say probably _The Sun_."

Alan patted him on the shoulder as he walked by.

"Thanks." He nodded towards Alex. "Try and keep her entertained, will you?"

Nick smiled. "You got it."

The door closed behind Mr.Winters and Nick turned to Alex, who was grinning awkwardly.

"I'm sorry it took me so long to... it's not too late is it?"

"No. Not at all." She smiled welcomingly.

He sat down in the seat her father had vacated and looked at her happily. "Hey... You got the bandage off."

"And more importantly, I got to wash my hair... It was _heavenly_."

She sighed contentedly and he laughed.

"Women and their hair... I'll never understand it..."

"Yeah, _whatever_. I'm sure as soon as yours grows longer than an _inch_ you're running off to the barber. Don't give me that _hairier than thou_ attitude."

"_Ouch_."

He laughed, feigning shock. "You're feeling scrappy tonight. Your sister mentioned that you were a bit of a smartass."

"Hah! That's the pot calling poor little kettle black, let me tell you..."

She shook her head, laughing now too. He looked down at the bed for a second.

"Steve looks comfortable." He nodded to the stuffed puppy at her side.

"Yep. He's a good dog. And I don't have to take him outside to do his business." She yawned and smiled.

"You tired? Maybe I should let you sleep."

"Nah, I'm just bored, and my back hurts and..."

He was laughing again and she smirked. "_Sorry_. I'm sure you didn't you come back here just to hear me whine."

He grinned. "Whatever you got, I'm here to enjoy it."

She grinned back and felt a frisson of pleasure slip through her body.

_Boy, I have so much more to share than conversation_...

She gulped and looked down at Steve the pup, suddenly embarrassed.

"So, speaking of boredom, when do you get out of this place?"

"The doctor said 2 to 3 days and I'm good to go. Man, I can't wait."

"Wow, that's soon. But you look really well. It's hard to believe..."

He broke off, frowning at the healing cuts and bruises on her face.

She smiled and tried to relieve the sudden negative turn to the conversation.

"They make 'em tougher in Canada, you know."

He smiled back. "Oh yeah? Well, that's a very good thing."

She felt her stomach flutter as he stared at her warmly and she wanted to lean over and kiss him until the sun came up.

And then he actually leaned towards her and reached out to touch her face lightly. A small chill went through her at his touch and she opened her mouth unconsciously. He considered her healing lip and wondered if he could kiss her. All he knew was that he _desperately_ wanted to.

Continuing to stare at her lips for a second more, he felt his own desires take command, and he moved in closer...

"_Alex, we got you_... Oh, hi Nick! I was hoping we'd see you again tonight."

Mrs. Winters seemed oblivious of what she'd interrupted, but Maddie didn't miss the flush in Alex's cheeks and Nick's sudden move back into his chair. She smiled at Alex and tried to catch her glance, but her sister was looking down at the foot of the bed suddenly.

"You almost missed visiting hours. And Alex has started booting us all out of here shortly after 9 pm..."

"Oh, mom... I just don't want you ruining your back sleeping in a chair anymore. You know I'm not trying to get rid of you."

"Well, anyway... Nick, are you on leave from work, because of your injuries?" She moved in closer and looked at his stitches."

Alex rolled her eyes at Maddie, but remained silent.

_So now she's a doctor too_?

"Yeah, actually... that's why I tried to get back in here before visiting hours finished."

The door opened and Mr. Winters returned, newspaper in hand. Nick looked back at Alex.

"I wanted to tell you that I'm starting back to work, so I may not get in to see you as much..."

The truth was, he was supposed to still be on leave, but if he was going to have to stay away from Alex, there was no way he'd be able to be off work with nothing to occupy his time. He'd finally convinced himself that he needed to tell her in person, and that's how he'd justified visiting her tonight.

She felt a ripple of disappointment, but smiled to cover it.

"Oh, of course. I'm just glad you're OK to work."

He smiled at her and felt his heart sink. She was smiling but he could see regret behind her eyes and it cut him to the quick.

_This sucks_. _I want to be here for her_...

"So, I guess... I better get going. Can I give you guys a ride back to your hotel?" He eyed Mr. and Mrs.Winters and Maddie.

"Nope. I rented a car today, so we're good as gold. Thanks for the offer though." He looked at the younger man kindly. "I guess we'll see you... when we see you."

Nick shrugged and Alan noted the slight downcast aspect to his smile. He smiled at the man understandingly, but said nothing.

Nick looked back at Alex.

"I'll try and see you soon, OK?"

He smiled encouragingly, and Alex couldn't help but smile back. She'd hoped he would stay longer, but she figured it was better than not seeing him at all.

"OK. Take care of your brain."

He laughed. "I will."

He walked past the rest of the Winters family and headed outside.

* * *

Nick hadn't gotten much sleep that day, but he decided to head back to work that night. He wanted to see what was really going on behind the scenes and see if he couldn't get it sorted out quickly. He strolled through the hallways and ran into Brass.

"Hello, Nicholas. I thought you were on leave."

"Yeah I was, but I'm fine so I thought I'd get back at it."

"'Atta boy. You've been missing all the fun around here anyway. The Sheriff's been making life interesting."

"So I've heard. How's everything looking? Are the Defence investigators finding any ammo?"

"It's hard to say. Those chumps could find fault with the Dalai Lama. Still, I just don't think Atwater's got anything to worry about. The guy was a lunatic and everyone did their jobs properly. I don't care _how_ famous this family is: They had a nutcase in their closet and everybody knows it now."

Nick nodded as they approached the staff room. Brass paused and put his hand on Nick's shoulder and looked at him meaningfully.

"Don't worry about it, Nick. Everybody here thinks you performed above and beyond, and if it comes down to a jury, I'm sure they'll agree. I think sometimes we forget that the jury members are just regular folks, not a bunch of lawyers. They'll recognize the truth when they hear it."

Nick gave him a half-smile. "Yeah, I guess. Thanks, Jim."

Brass continued down the hall and Nick made his way inside the staff room. Warrick and Sara looked at him like he was a long lost relative.

"Man, we weren't expecting you back yet. How're you feeling?" Warrick shook his hand and Nick laughed.

Sara cut in. "How's Alex doing?"

He smiled and looked back at them while he answered both questions.

"I'm fine and she's doing great. She should be out of the hospital in a couple of days." That triggered a thought... "What's the story with Meadfield?"

Grissom spoke up as he entered the room. "Still in a coma as of half an hour ago." He frowned at Nick. "What're you doing here, Nick? We weren't expecting you back for a couple of days."

Nick shrugged. "I feel fine. I figured I might as well come back to work since I have nothing else to do."

He frowned slightly and Grissom peered at him intently, understanding his meaning completely.

"OK, Nick. It's good to have you back."

"Thanks boss."

"Where's Greg?" Grissom looked at Sara and Warrick.

"Bathroom. He got here early and I think he's already had way too much coffee." Warrick laughed.

Grissom's brows raised. "OK then. Here are the assignments. Nick, work with Warrick. I'd prefer if you weren't driving yet, to be safe."

Nick nodded and reached for their sheet. He looked at Warrick and smirked. "A _B&E_ at the _AM/PM_.Can't wait."

Warrick groaned. "Nick, this must be your fault for coming back too early. Bad karma, man."

Nick laughed. "Yeah, I'm sure that's it." He moved towards the door. "Let's get at it."

* * *

Two days later, Alex was cranky.

She'd had a quick phone call from Nick yesterday, but that was all. And even then he'd seemed... _restrained_. Distant, even. She tried to figure out if she'd done something wrong. But everything had seemed so great the other night...

She frowned and got out of bed and went over to the window. And then she frowned even more at the late afternoon sunshine.

_I want to be outside_.

She'd had Maddie check with Dr. Martinez about getting released today, but the doctor had run another follow-up scan instead, and told her that she could check out tomorrow morning if everything was OK.

Her mother came back in the room with a couple cups of tea. "Here you go, hon."

"Thanks, mom."

Her mom started to ask her a question. "Alex..."

Her father and Maddie walked into the room, looking decidedly _too_ happy, Alex thought to herself.

"Well, I believe we've set a new rental record. I got you the perfect place, fully furnished, a great deal and a lovely neighbourhood."

She looked back at him blankly and he smirked.

"Well don't go _overboard_ on the thanks, sweetie. I may start to blush."

Alex grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, dad. That's awesome. Where am I living now?"

She laughed at how funny that sounded to her own ears.

He showed her the address and a little area map that Maddie had printed off the internet.

_Hmmm_. _That's a nice neighbourhood, but_...

"Dad, that's a bit far from the school."

"_Hold up_... before you go on, I should hand you these..."

He placed a set of car keys in her hand and her brows shot up.

"Um, dad...?"

"Before you say it's too much, just wait. It's a used Toyota, but reliable and good on gas. Cheap insurance payments... and it's a stick shift, like you like. Although you won't be able to drive it right away, of course." He looked at her arm in the sling. "We'll help you empty your apartment when you're released tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? I can move in tomorrow?"

She looked at the calendar on the table... Just a week into the new month.

"Nope, but your new landlord loves me. Name's Bill and he's a stand-up guy. Plus, I think he's got a crush on Maddie."

Maddie blushed. "Dad, the man's like, _65 years old_."

"Hey, I still think you sealed the deal. He's going to store your stuff in the garage until the start of next month. He said you can leave the car there too, since the current tenant doesn't have one."

She was beginning to feel overwhelmed. "So, is this an apartment or...?

"It's a one bedroom townhome. You're side by side with another unit, but the place is solid. Good, thick concrete. You can blast the _rock and roll_ and the neighbours won't hear a thing."

"Wow." She shook her head in wonder. "_Wow_."

She felt a bit like a deadbeat all of a sudden; that everything was out of her hands again.

"Dad, this is too much. You shouldn't have _bought_ me a car. I mean, I'm an adult here, and..."

Maddie jumped in again. "They bought me a car when I was doing my internship... although _yours is better_..." She smirked at her father and he grinned.

"Yeah, well I see you have a nice shiny Mercedes these days, so quit your whining."

They both smiled and looked back at Alex. They noticed she didn't appear to be as happy as they'd expected her to be.

"Alex? What's wrong? Did we move too fast for you?" Her dad looked concerned and she felt bad.

"No... I..." She looked back at them and let out a big breath. "I think I'm just tired of being cooped up."

"Listen hon, that's OK. We'll talk more about this later. And don't worry; we'll put you in a hotel until it's time to move in if you want."

"Or..."

They all looked at Abby Winters expectantly.

"You could come home for a couple weeks... just until you're back up to snuff." She looked at her daughter hopefully.

Alex smirked.

_Well, here it is finally_.

"Um, mom, I was already thinking about it actually." She saw her dad look away innocently and she continued. "Why don't you let me sleep on it and we'll talk about it tomorrow."

Her mother nodded happily, pleased that she was even considering it.

* * *

The scans went well and Alex was getting ready to depart.

Maddie had been to the apartment and had grabbed some clothes for her sister, which she had changed into anxiously. She knew Maddie had seen enough blood as a doctor to be better equipped for what she might see in Alex's apartment, and Maddie had agreed. There was no need for her parents to see that. And so she had asked Maddie to help her go back and clean out her stuff that day.

Her parents had protested that they should be helping, but she finally convinced them they'd done more than enough and should go out and enjoy the town for a day. She and Maddie were due for some quality _sister time_, she explained. And in truth, she mostly just had some clothes and smaller items to move. Only a shelf and a table had been hers, in terms of furniture.

They drove over to Alex's new neighburhood and dropped off her belongings with Bill the landlord. His eyes _did_ seem to sparkle a little as he greeted Maddie again, but Alex found it very sweet. He was a really nice man, and Alex had to admit the place was quite pretty. She even had a back deck and a small back yard. Overall, she was quite pleasantly surprised.

As they drove back to meet their parents for supper on The Strip, Maddie looked over at her as she drove.

"So, are you going to go home?"

Alex had been thinking about it since last night and she was still uncertain. If she went home, it would save a lot of money; rather than stay in a motel here for 3 weeks, she could stay with her parents and enjoy all their hospitality. Plus she'd get to see some of her friends, and Maddie's family...

_Sigh_. _It would be silly to stay here right now_.

She felt her mind straying back to thoughts of Nick, as usual. He hadn't called again, and she had to admit it was really affecting her. She'd come to genuinely care for the man and now it seemed like it was all ancient history before it had even really begun.

She suddenly felt angry with herself.

_This is stupid_. _Nothing even happened with us and I don't really know him that well_. _Maybe he has a girlfriend I don't know about_...

But she found it hard to believe, even now. He just didn't seem like he was jerking her around, and he'd been so great to her through everything.

_So where is he now_,_ then_?

She took a deep breath and turned to her sister. "I guess the best idea would be for me to go home for a few weeks. That's the smartest thing to do."

Her sister nodded. "Well, mom will be happy about it anyway. Be prepared to be smothered some more."

Alex grimaced.

_Oh well_... _It wasn't forever_, _just 2 or 3 weeks_...

* * *

Alex stood at the airport window, watching the luggage being loaded on to their plane, the early morning sunlight starting to strengthen in the sky.

"Last boarding call for WestJet Flight 828 to Vancouver."

"You ready honey?" Alex's mom put her arm carefully around her daughter's shoulder. "Is your shoulder feelling OK?"

She nodded. "Yeah, it's fine mom. Let's go."

She looked wistfully back at the doors that would take her back out of the airport and into Las Vegas. She frowned slightly and headed onto the plane.

* * *

Nick and Warrick walked back into the LVPD building and headed back towards the locker room.

"Well, I'm not sure who's worse off: The stupidest _dumbass_ of a thief in the world, or _us_ for having to track his lameass evidence for two days."

Nick laughed. "I'm pretty sure he'll feel worse off than us... _soon_. We've only had two days of misery. He'll be in jail for a bit longer than that."

They rounded a corner and ran into Brass.

"Hey boys. You look tired."

"Yeah well, processing evidence for morons seems to take longer than normal for some reason..."

Warrick laughed wearily and headed into the locker room to change. Nick was about to follow him when Brass stopped him.

"Nicky. You just missed Alex."

"_What_? She was here? _When_?"

"She popped in about an hour ago to leave her contact details... She's heading home to Vancouver."

Nick's heart stopped and he couldn't speak for a moment. He looked seriously back at the man in front of him.

"Did she say when she was coming back?"

Brass shrugged. "She didn't say. And there's another thing... She's cleared all of her stuff out of her condo. Apparently she and her sister packed it all up yesterday."

Nick felt as if he'd been punched in the gut. He tried to focus on what he was hearing, but it wouldn't sink in.

"Brass, can you tell me exactly what she said?"

"I saw her as she was leaving. She said she'd just left her details for Lieutenant Foreman and that she was going home to Canada with her family this morning. I asked her when she was coming back and she said she wasn't sure."

"And?"

"And that's it. I told her to have a safe flight and that I hoped I got to see her sooner rather than later."

Brass watched the younger man's face become paler as they spoke.

"Nick, maybe you should sit for a minute. You might have come back to work too soon."

Nick stared blankly back and replied in a monotone voice. "I'm fine. I'm on my way home anyway."

He walked into the locker room like a zombie, a thousand thoughts crashing around in his brain.

_Shit_. _Shit_. _Shit_. _I should have tried harder to reach her yesterday_...

When he'd finally gotten off work late in the morning yesterday, he'd called the hospital to find that Alex had been released. He'd called the hotel where her parents were staying, but there'd been nobody in the room at the time.

He'd stayed up well past his normal 'bedtime' that afternoon, trying back a few more times but with no luck. He'd fallen asleep on the sofa and finally awoken much later to find that he'd only just have time to get to work on time. Plus, he'd been worried it had been be too late to call the hotel room anyway.

He'd been planning to try her again this morning, but now...

_Jesus_. _Did I blow it_?

He felt numb.

Warrick watched as Nick stood motionless in front of his locker for far too long. "Nick? You OK, man?"

Nick slowly came out of his daze. "Yeah.Yeah, I'm cool."

He grabbed his wallet and sprinted out to his Denali.

* * *

"I'm sorry sir. I can't give you passenger information."

He grimaced in frustration and tried not to lose his patience with the woman. "Well, can you at least tell me if you saw a woman board the last flight to Vancouver... She would have had some cuts and bruises on her face and one particularly bad one right here, at the temple?" He pointed to the side of his own forehead.

"She would have been with an older couple and a woman slightly older than her- her family?"

She frowned in thought. "Yes, actually. I did see her. They _were_ on that flight."

Nick looked at her sadly. "Thank you."

She watched him walk away dejectedly and felt sympathetic.

_Somebody just lost their best friend_...

Nick made his way back out to the parking lot and slowly climbed behind the wheel of his SUV.

He placed his head on his arms, resting on the steering wheel. He stared out the windshield, unseeing. His heart felt like lead in his chest and he couldn't seem to gather the energy to even start the vehicle.

He'd never felt so alone.


	23. Chapter 23

There was a tap on her bedroom door and her mother didn't wait for her permission before opening the door and poking her head into the room. Alex looked up from folding her laundry, amused.

_The more things change_, _the more they stay the same_...

"Alex, Daniel's here." Her mother didn't look particularly impressed.

"_Darrell_, mom. Darrell."

"Well, whatever. He's here."

She looked at her daughter's laundry on the bed. "But if you're too busy, I can send him away..."

Alex laughed. "I'm not too busy, mom. _Nice try_."

She pushed past her mother and headed downstairs.

_Darrell, hmm_? _I wonder why he's here_? _Must have heard I'm in town and he's horny_...

She shook her head, dismayed at her past behaviour. She'd been in love with Darrell for years, since she'd met him in their final year of university. They'd dated for about a year before he broke up with her, but she'd never really gotten over him, for some stupid reason. They'd had many flings since they'd broken up...

_Ah, women give sex to get love_, _and men give love to get sex_...

As she reached the landing, Darrell looked up and smiled. "Hey sunshine! Hey, you don't look so bad."

She frowned at him. "Uh yeah... _Nice greeting_, Darrell."

"No..."

He looked a little shamefaced. "I mean, I heard what happened and I was expecting you to be in much worse shape. But you look as great as ever."

"Thanks Darrell."

She laughed inwardly. _Compliments_. Clearly he was single and in need of sex. She wondered why she'd fallen for this crap for so many years when it was all so obvious to her now. Darrell was the king of manipulation.

"So, listen, do you want to grab some lunch?"

She was amazed that she couldn't think of anything less appealing to her right now.

"Oh, Darrell... sorry. I'm hanging with Maddie's kids today. I owe them an outing. We're going to the aquarium."

"Oh yeah? Well I'm free today... maybe I could..."

"Oh _no_... I... I promised them it would be a special girl's day."

She hadn't really, but the idea had come to her quickly, thank God.

"You know... _shopping _and _girlie_ things, on top of going to the aquarium."

He looked disappointed, but again, she was amazed to find that she didn't particularly care.

"Oh, OK. Well, maybe we can do dinner sometime while you're here."

She walked to the door and opened it for him.

"Yeah, if I get a chance... I won't be home long so I'm sort of busy with other obligations and stuff. But give me a call. You never know."

He looked at her carefully and seemed a bit shocked that she was blowing him off so quickly. She didn't give him time to say much more then "Well, _OK then_. Bye." And she'd shuffled him out the door and closed it behind him. She felt absolutely no interest in the man anymore. In fact, just the sight of him seemed annoying.

_Something's changed_... _and I guess it's_ me.

She started back upstairs and found herself thinking about Nick again. As long as she was busy, she'd managed to keep from thinking about him, but as soon as she had an unoccupied moment...

She hurried upstairs to get the car keys from her mother.

_Time to go pick up the girls and get going_.

* * *

Nick tossed and turned in his bed, and scratched his head where the stitches had been. She'd been gone for over a week now and he couldn't seem to get a decent night's sleep.

He'd realized that he hadn't been his usual self at work either, when Catherine had put her hand on his arm during their drive back from a crime scene last night.

"She'll be back, Nick. I'm sure of it."

He'd raised his eyebrows and looked at her from the corner of his eye while he drove.

"Am I that obvious?"

She'd laughed. "No. Not really. I'm the only one who's noticed. Well, and maybe Sara... and Warrick. And maybe _Greg_..."

He laughed out loud. "Oh, is _that_ all? So, only Grissom's out of the loop?"

"Well, as long as you're still doing your job well, he's not going to notice."

Although to be honest, she thought she'd caught a sympathetic glance from the man towards Nick just the other day, but she didn't want to blow Grissom's image as the focussed scientist and superviser. _She_ knew the truth, anyway.

Nick rolled over in his bed again, trying not to think about Alex and finding it impossible. His hand was lying on his stomach, and he felt a shiver of warmth go through his body as he remembered how Alex's fingers had caressed him that afternoon on her sofa...

He sat up suddenly.

_Maybe a shower will help me sleep tonight_...

* * *

Alex played with her food and her sister looked at her knowingly. She put on a straight face and assumed an air of authority as she spoke.

"You could just call him, you know. It's the 21st century, and women can call men now. We have rights..."

Alex eyed her sister warily. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Maddie snorted and her husband smiled to himself. He loved watching these two in action. It was a constant game of one-upmanship.

Maddie continued. "If you're going to reply in _cliches_, at least try to be more creative about it. And stop playing with your spaghetti. If you're not hungry than don't eat."

Alex frowned and put down her fork. "Sorry. It's not the food. It's really good. Honestly."

She looked at Maddie's husband Gary apologetically.

Gary smiled at her kindly. "Don't worry about it, Alex. I'm already well aware that I'm a far better cook than either of you two."

"_Hey_!" Maddie swiped at her husband in mock anger. "You better be careful if you don't want to end up on the sofa tonight, _mister_."

He grinned and stood up, moving behind Maddie's chair and kissing the top of her head.

"I'll clear the table."

"You better, after a comment like that..."

He mumbled something under his breath as he retreated into the kitchen with the dirty plates. "..._anything to keep you out of my kitchen_..."

"I _heard_ that!" Maddie shouted through the closing door.

Alex looked at her sister and smiled, feeling envious. Her sister had lucked out, and now she had the perfect life.

A_ great husband, two super cool kids, a successful career_...

Alex didn't realize her smile was transforming as she thought to herself, and Maddie looked at her carefully.

"_Alex_... I'm sure you're overreacting about this whole thing. I know Nick was _seriously_ into you. His face lit up everytime he saw you."

Alex squinched up her face. "I don't want to talk about it."

Maddie shook her head and frowned.

"OK, but facts are facts. And mom and dad like him too, which is a good sign. They're always right about these things, as much as I hate to admit it. Remember when I was dating Jeremy Stone and..."

"Maddie. _I_..._don't_... _want_... _to_... _talk_... _about_... _it_."

"Fine. Whatever."

She sat back in her dining room chair and put her arm over the back. "Well, when are you going back to Vegas?"

Alex shook her head. "Maddie, I _swear_..."

"_What_? I'm just asking... God you're so sensitive." She stood up and grabbed some condiments off the table. "I'm going to help Gary."

She gave Alex the _unimpressed_ look that she'd perfected over the years.

Alex stayed in her seat and looked at her bag on the chair in the corner. In her wallet, in the second folder section, was a business card. The name on the card said Nick Stokes, and his home phone number was on the back...

M_aybe I should just call him_...

She sat up straighter and grabbed a large bowl with some remnants of salad in the bottom and headed towards the kitchen.

_No_. _I played the pathetic, dependent girl for too many years with Darrell_, _and I'm not going to be that person ever again_.

She felt a bit stronger suddenly and decided she was happy with her decision. She would stick with it... even if her heart felt a little colder at the thought.

* * *

Nick walked down the hall with Brass. They'd just been in an interrogation room with a woman who swore she'd had nothing to do with her healthy, 36 year old husband suddenly dropping dead in their garage.

Brass smirked as they approached the PD offices. "Ah, yet another DFO. Those never seem to get old..."

Nick laughed. "I don't know man. It must have happened at least _once_ for real, _somewhere_..."

Brass laughed. "Yeah, but not _this_ time."

Nick nodded. The woman was as guilty as sin and they had reams of evidence to prove it.

"Well, see you later Jim. Nice work."

Brass nodded his thanks and headed into his office. Nick went around the corner towards the CSI labs. He paused as he noticed Foreman's office on his left. Frowning, he went through an internal argument he'd been having with himself for days...

_What harm would it do if I just got her contact details for Vancouver_...

But then his professionalism had kicked back in as it had been doing each time, and he knew that if he couldn't get the number from the operator (it had been unlisted) then he couldn't in good ethical conscience get it from Foreman's file.

_Especially if Alex doesn't want me to call her_...

He stood in the hallway not moving for a moment, hoping against all hope that she didn't really feel that way.

* * *

Alex looked at the TV guide and sighed. This was getting old fast.

It had been almost 3 weeks now and she was about ready to lose her mind. She looked across the room at her parents. Her mom was reading a novel, as usual and her dad was working on the crossword puzzle from the paper.

She smiled to herself. They'd been so great during all this, and she had to admit she'd actually rather enjoyed her mother doting on her for a few weeks, making all her favourite foods... But now it was time to go back to Las Vegas.

"Mom? Dad?"

They both looked up at her and she laughed as she noticed they were both looking at her over the tops of two pairs of bi-focals. "What is it, honey?"

"Um, I think I'm ready to go back to Vegas now."

"But it's not the end of the month yet... You won't be able to get into your place for a couple more days..." Her mom protested.

"Actually, I called Bill today and he said the tenants are already moved out. He just needs to do a little painting and then I can go in. I can stay in a hotel for a night or two if there's still wet paint. It'll be fun, even. I'll just lay by the pool all day and pretend I'm rich."

Her dad laughed. "Sounds good, Alex. Have you checked out the flights?"

Abby looked at her husband as though he'd cheated on her, but he shrugged as if to say _What_?

"Yeah, there's one early tomorrow morning actually, if you wouldn't mind driving me in to the airport."

"Not at all. What time is the flight?"

"8:10 am." She smiled at her parents.

"I just want you guys to know that you're the best parents in the world. Thanks so much for all the stuff you've done. You've made everything so easy for me."

Her mom seemed a little pacified by this comment. "Oh, honey... You know we _love_ you."

"I love you too."

* * *

Alex looked down at The Strip below her and smiled. She really felt like she was coming _home_.

She was almost positive she was going to try to stay here and work after she finished school, and she only had one semester left. She really liked the highschool where she'd done her practice teaching and they'd indicated that they might have a place for her once she'd graduated.

A little while later, as she walked through the airport with her luggage in tow, she grinned at the familiar sight of the slot machines in the lobby.

_Ah, only in Vegas_.

She walked outside in the sunlight and felt the heat pressing down on her. Even that made her happy though, and she set down her bag on the sidewalk.

She'd planned ahead and had worn a light, black cotton summer dress on the plane, anticipating the super-heated Vegas summer weather. It was tank top style and the light material stopped just above her knees, offering plenty of ventilation. She pulled her sandals out of her bag and exchanged them with the closed-toed shoes she been wearing to prevent cold feet in the air-conditioned plane.

She looked out through her sunglasses at the row of taxis and contemplated her next move. She pulled a piece of paper from her bag with a map and an address written on it.

_My new home_.

She looked at her watch, considering.

_Well_, _it's almost 12 noon_... _I should probably give the Lieutenant my new contact details_,_ and he works during the day_.

She frowned as she thought about James Meadfield.

_I wonder if he's still in a coma_...?

She'd managed to avoid thinking about him more than a couple times while she'd been staying at her parent's house. In fact, her biggest challenge had been trying to keep her mind off Nick.

She swallowed as she thought about the possibility of running into him again. She knew he worked nights though, so there was very little chance that he'd be at the station at this time of the day... She tried to reassert her sense of independence again.

_That settles it then_. _I'm going to the station now so that I can prove to myself I'm in control_...

She hailed a cab and straightened up her shoulders, embracing her renewed sense of self-empowerment.

* * *

Alex walked into the dimly lit corridors of the LVPD offices and pushed her sunglasses on top of her head. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust after the bright sunshine outside.

She approached the receptionist and asked to see the lieutenant. The woman called his office and Alex looked around, feeling the familarity of the place seep back into her senses. She remembered how nice everyone had been to her, and how Nick... She squeezed her eyelids tightly closed and spoke sternly to herself in an inner monologue.

_Stop it, Alex_. _Stay strong_.

The receptionist spoke up. "Miss? Are you OK?"

"Oh, yes. I'm fine. I'm sorry... What did you say?"

"Lieutenant Foreman is not here at the moment. Is there something else I can do for you, or do you want to speak to someone else?"

She frowned.

_Well, that was a waste of cab fare_.

"Um, no. Actually, I just wanted to leave him my contact details... could you get those to him for me?"

The receptionist nodded. "Sure. I can get them to his office."

Alex pulled out the paper from her bag again. "All the details are here, if you want to take them down."

She waited as the woman scribbled her info, and then headed back outside the building. As she was lowering her sunglasses back down over her eyes, she heard someone call out.

"_Alex_?"

She turned around and saw Catherine walking away from her Denali in the parking area across from the entrance.

"You're back." Catherine smiled at her warmly as she crossed the driveway towards her.

"Hi, Catherine." She smiled at the pleasant surprise. "Yeah- I just got back this morning in fact. I came in to give Lieutenant Foreman my new address and number."

She clasped Catherine's hand firmly as the other woman offered it to her. "I moved."

"Yeah, I'd heard that." She half smirked at Alex. "We weren't sure if you were coming back or not."

Alex hadn't missed the implications of the word '_we_', but tried to ignore it.

"Yeah, I couldn't move into my new place until the start of the month, and my folks wanted me to go back home and relax for a bit, so..." She shrugged.

"Yeah, that makes sense. Well, you look great. And tanned."

Alex laughed. "Well there wasn't much for me to do in Vancouver... I mostly just loafed about in the yard."

"Well, if anybody deserved some loafing time, it was you." Catherine smiled approvingly and examined her more closely. "Your face is all healed up, no sling..." She moved her head to the side a bit and looked at Alex's temple. "And you only have a little bruise left there... Wow."

"Yeah, I guess I was lucky."

Catherine patted her arm. "You sure were, kiddo. You sure were."

She looked behind Alex to note a familiar Denali heading towards the CSI parking area around the corner and tried not to grin. "So. Where are you headed now?"

Alex shrugged. "Well, I thought I'd go and see if I can get into my new place, if the painting's done but if not... I was thinking of hitting one of the big hotels... Treat myself to a few nights of luxury if my landlord's not ready for me yet."

"Well, hey; I just have to run in here for a sec, then over to our offices... If you can hold on a few minutes, I can give you a lift."

"You don't have to do that, Catherine."

"It's no trouble. Wait right here. I'll be back in two shakes."

Catherine hurried into the building and slipped some papers to the receptionist quickly.

_I have to get Alex over to CSI before Nick leaves_...

She exited the building and gestured to her SUV. "Let's just drive around... I've had enough standing around already."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I was waiting to present evidence in court this morning and we had to wait outside the room for about an hour and a half..." She neglected to mention she'd been presenting evidence with Nick.

"Ah, _that's _why you're still working. And why you look _extra_ dressy today." Alex nodded appreciatively.

Catherine smiled and mentally crossed her fingers that Nick was going to wait to change out of his suit once he got home. The guy looked fantastic in a suit, and she thought it would be a nice bonus for Alex to see him in all his added finery.

She parked close to the doors and told Alex that she might as well come inside with her, so she could enjoy the air-conditioning. The two women crossed the car park and headed inside.

Alex paused near the reception area. "I'll just wait here, Catherine; stay out of the way."

Catherine frowned. "You can come back if you want..."

"I'm good here, really. Don't hurry... I'm on no particular schedule." She sat down in one of the chairs along the wall.

"OK."

Catherine gave up, realizing this could work out even better. She looked around... there weren't many people around the area... "I'll see you in a few minutes."

She disappeared down the hall.

* * *

Nick stopped in the staff room for a moment, looking at the coffee machine longingly.

_Man, I'm tired_...

There was no coffee made though, and he decided to wait until he got home. He'd already gotten his stuff from his locker and he hadn't bothered to change out of his suit, feeling too weary to bother. He rubbed his temples and then looked up as Catherine appeared, looking far perkier than he felt.

"Hey Nick... you on your way out?"

"Yep. I'm beat."

She nodded. "You're not going to change first?"

"Nah. I'll change at home."

Catherine nodded again. "Good."

"Hmmm?"

"Uh, nothing. Oh, I think there's someone out front for you... by reception."

He frowned, feeling too tired to deal with anybody else right now. It seemed like forever since he'd gotten a good night's sleep...

"Who is it, Cath?"

"Um, not sure. I didn't get the name. I think it's someone from one of your cases..." She tried not to smile as she gave her vague answer. "Anyway, I'll see you. Enjoy your days off."

Her smile seemed extra bright this morning, but he didn't pay it much mind. He smirked at her and then headed outside and down the hall.

_Enjoy my days off? I don't see it happening_.

His last sets of days off had been filled with cleaning and scouring his house, reorganizing his garage, alphabetizing his CD's, DVD's and books... anything to keep his mind off Alex. Sara had laughed sympathetically at him the previous night when he'd offered to do the painting in her apartment.

He dug in his coat pockets for his car keys as he rounded the corner towards the front doors and then looked up expectantly, wondering who was waiting for him at reception.

He stopped dead in his tracks as he saw Alex standing in front of the water cooler, bent slightly as she placed a cup under the spout.

He felt his heart began to thump painfully in his chest as he fought to catch his breath. She stood sideways as she sipped water from her cup, not noticing his presence.

He took her all in... Her bared arms and legs looking browned and healthy, her slender waist under the slight black dress. He tried to move toward her, but felt as though his feet had grown roots. Just then she looked up, and her hand froze with the cup still midair.

_Nick_.

He stood about 20 feet away, staring back at her with a strange look on his face, and she couldn't look away.

He looked so handsome she thought her heart might break. He was wearing a dark navy suit with a white shirt and a dark tie... Also navy she guessed; it was hard to tell under the dim lights here. She tried to swallow, but all the moisture seemed to have left her mouth, despite the gulp of water she'd taken just seconds before.

"Alex?" He smiled at her hopefully and she felt a bit light-headed.

_Come on_, _Alex_... D_on't lose your head now_.

"Uh... Hi... Hi, Nick."

Her heart was racing madly and she felt like she was going to overheat despite the cooled air surrounding her.

"You're back."

He was finally able to make his legs work and he moved towards her tentatively. He couldn't stop his heart from pounding though, and he almost worried that she'd be able to hear it.

"Yeah... I... I got in this morning. I was just... I moved and I had to... I gave them my address and number." She cringed inwardly.

_Oh man_... _Was that even a sentence? So much for being in control_.

"Yeah, I noticed that... That you moved, I mean. It was a bit of a surprise, actually..." He smiled shyly.

"Um, to me too... my dad had everything arranged in a matter of days. He got me a car too. It was all a bit overwhelming. I... I just didn't think I could live in that apartment anymore."

He nodded and gave her an understanding smile. "Yeah, that's not a surprise."

His expression was so warm and caring...

_Why didn't you call me Nick_? _What happened_?

She felt a bit of confusion as she tried to align the concerned man before her with the one who'd avoided her for her last days in Vegas... She wasn't getting much support from her body though, as it responded uncontrollably to the impossibly attractive man standing in front of her. Her pulse was bordering on erratic and she couldn't seem to stop the butterflies in her stomach. She was fairly certain that all he had to do was flash her _one_ smile and she'd be done for.

"So, are you parked outside? I could walk you to your-"

"Oh, no... I just took a taxi from the airport to get here. My car is parked at my new place. I haven't been home yet."

She suddenly laughed and Nick looked at her questioningly.

"It's just... I've barely even seen the place. Dad and Maddie picked it out and organized the contract before I'd even been there. Anyway, I was just waiting for Catherine; she offered to give me a lift. I'm hoping she knows the area, because I have no idea how we got there the one time I went there."

"Where is it?"

"Um... I have the directions here..."

She started fumbling in her bag, and Catherine re-appeared from around the corner.

"Ah, I see you found her..." Catherine beamed at Nick and he laughed at her shaking his head.

Alex looked up at him and felt her heart skip a beat.

_Damn, _that's_ the smile_...

She felt her hands relax involuntarily and the paper she'd pulled out of her bag slipped to the floor. Nick stooped and picked it up for her, looking at the map and the address.

His eyebrows went up and he grinned at Catherine.

"Um, Cath... why don't I take Alex home. I know this area pretty well."

Catherine looked at the small map and grinned. She'd been planning to suggest it anyway, but now they didn't even need to make excuses.

"Yeah, that seems logical." She looked at Alex, trying not to laugh. "It's on Nick's way home. I'm heading in a slightly different direction."

Alex looked up at Nick, still uncertain. "If that's OK, Nick. I don't want to cause any-"

"It's not a problem, Alex. Not at all." He smiled down at her encouragingly and she thought she might need to be resuscitated soon if he didn't stop.

"Shall we?" He gestured towards the door and she nodded. "After you."

She walked out the doors and squinted in the sunlight. He came up behind her and she stopped, fumbling in her bag again.

"Whatcha looking for?"

"Uh, my sunglasses..."

He reached up suddenly and gently removed them from her head and held them in front of her.

"You mean these?" He smiled at her cheekily and she couldn't help but laugh.

"Yeah, that'd be them. Thanks."

She took them and put them on, grinning stupidly. The moment of foolishness had seemed to lessen her irregular heartbeat somewhat and she smiled back at him as he waited for her to walk with him to his Denali.

He walked her to the passenger side and opened the door for her. She smiled at him with amusement as he helped her in and he laughed before he closed the door.

"What? My manners didn't disappear when you went away, you know." He grinned at her and she smiled sheepishly.

She watched him walk around the front of the SUV and gulped as she once again considered how handsome he was. She couldn't believe she'd actually thought Darrell had been the _end-all_ and _be-all_ of good looking men.

_What a joke_... _He absolutely pales in comparison_.

Nick climbed in beside her and smiled at her some more as he buckled in and turned the key in the ignition.

"You mind if I turn on the radio?

"Nope. Please do."

She continued her earlier thoughts. The _thing _was, Nick's personality made him even more attractive then he already was. If looks were all that counted, she would have been interested in Officer Barnes. But Nick was so much more than just a hot guy... He was the full package.

She sighed as she remembered the last 3 weeks she's been away. She still felt confused... He seemed so... so _sweet_ again, but...

_What's really going on_? _Why didn't he call me before_?

She wanted to see where this was leading, but she lacked confidence. She didn't think her heart could take it again if he was just playing with her.

He looked at her as they sat at a red light and noted the serious look on her face.

"Alex? You OK?"

He looked at her with concern, and she felt even more confusion as she felt herself heating up again under his warm gaze.

"Yeah, I'm good. I'm just thinking about... um... unpacking and stuff."

The light turned green and he pulled into the intersection "Oh yeah. Moving can be a pain. So, is this place furnished or..."

"Yeah, completely. Apparently I have digital cable too, so I'm pretty excited. I just hope the landlord's finished painting..."

"Aren't you moving in today?"

"Well, if it's all painted and everything. If not, I thought I might treat myself to a night or two at one of the big hotels."

"Ah."

His mind started working as he drove on, the Eagles singing in the background. Alex had turned to look out the windows as they drove.

_If her place isn't ready, she could always stay with_...

He gulped and tried to re-focus on his driving.

_Easy there, man_. _You don't want to scare her off_... _she just came back into your life_.

He smiled to himself as he heard her singing softly as she looked out her window at the passing neighbourhood. "_Desperado, why don't you come to your senses_..."

She suddenly looked up in recognition.

"Nick, I think that's it... Yep. And there's my new car. Well, my new _used_ car..."

He pulled in the driveway behind her small silver Toyota and they both got out of the Denali at the same time.

"Hmmm. Corolla... not bad. And this isn't _too_ used, Alex. It's only a 2000, or maybe a 1999. And it's in great shape." He looked in the window. "It's got a CD player too. Nice. Hey- you can drive a stick?"

She nodded. "Yep. I prefer manual drive. Makes me feel all powerful and stuff."

He laughed and nodded, impressed.

She looked at the front door of the townhome. "Want to see inside?" She smiled shyly.

"Yes I do."

He followed her up to the door and she pulled out her keys. She opened the door and the strong odour of paint assailed their nostrils.

"Ohhh... Well it looks like he painted..."

She walked over to a window and started to open it to help air the place out. Nick opened the screen on the inner front door and propped it open.

"Yep. And it looks good." He glanced around the living room appreciatively. "This is a nice place. And it's pretty new. I think these townhomes only went up, what... like, 2 years ago?"

"Oh, so you _do_ know the area?"

He smiled. "Yeah, I do."

She was about to ask him more when he looked towards the stairs. "Can I get a tour?"

She nodded. "Yeah... I hardly remember what it looks like myself."

She smiled and he followed her up the stairs. The kitchen, a small dining area, and a large pantry were on the second floor, and one more level up from there, there was a large bathroom on a landing. A few more stairs up, there was a large bedroom. Nick whistled appreciatively.

"Wow. The bedroom is _huge_."

She laughed. "Yeah... I could open a dance club up here. There seem to be a lot of stairs, though. I guess my legs are going to get in good shape pretty quickly..."

He looked down at her legs and felt his pulse quicken yet again.

_They look pretty good to me right now_...

She frowned as she noticed a paint can and a ladder folded up near the end wall. She looked at the walls appraisingly and then back at Nick.

"Do these walls look painted to you?"

He surveyed the walls. "Uh, no, I wouldn't say so. Why?"

"Well, that means he's not done, and so I'll have to find a hotel." She sighed, but then seemed to think better of it. "Oh well. It'll be fun to stay in a hotel again."

He looked down at her, again torn.

_I wonder if I should just ask her_..._I have a second bedroom, afterall_...

He looked up guiltily and realized she'd spoken to him.

"Sorry, I missed that."

She smiled. "I said _'thanks for the ride.'_ I can just stick around here until I figure out my game plan... Bill said the phone's already hooked up. Maybe I can pull some of my stuff out of the garage as well..."

"Alex, I have an idea."

She looked up at him curiously.

"Why don't we go grab some lunch at my place, and then I'll help you sort out some arrangements for later. I just bought groceries."

"Nick, you must be tired, I don't want to keep you up..."

"Nah, I'm not tired at all."

He smiled as he realized it was the truth. It seemed that at the moment he'd first seen Alex, a bolt of energy had shot through him and removed his previous exhaustion.

"And I'm on days off now, so I'll be adjusting my sleeping schedule a bit anyway."

She looked out the front window and saw a truck with a painting company logo on the side stop out front. A man in coveralls got out and approached the townhome, eyeing her in the window as he walked. She looked back at Nick and grinned awkwardly.

"Well, here comes the painter, so I guess I really should get out of here." She looked at him shyly. "I'd really like to have lunch with you."

She felt herself blush as she admitted to herself that she probably would have taken him up on the offer, painter or no painter.

_So much for playing it smart_.

Nick looked back at her happily. "Good. Let's go."

"Maybe I should drive, so you don't have to worry about bringing me back?"

He grinned in amusement. "Oh, I'm sure I can drive you back later, no problem. Don't worry about it."

She shrugged. "OK. Let's go, then."

They nodded to the painter as he came in the door. She explained who she was and that they were about to get out of his way. He grunted and headed up the stairs.

Nick grinned. "Friendly guy."

She laughed and closed the door tight behind them.

They climbed back into his SUV and the radio kicked back in as he started the ignition. She started bobbing her head immediately to _'Peace Frog'_ and smiled at him happily.

"I love _The Doors_."

He nodded. "Yeah, me too."

They backed out onto the street and continued down the street they'd come in on. He stopped at a stop sign and turned left. They drove about 40 feet and he pulled into a driveway, also on the left. Alex looked at him in confusion.

"Where are we? Are you picking something up here?"

"Um, no. This is actually my _house_, Alex."

She stared at him in shock, her eyes wide. "Are you _serious_?"

He laughed and nodded. "I couldn't be _more_ serious."

He climbed out of the driver's seat, and chuckled to himself as he noticed she was watching him in stunned silence as he moved around the front of the vehicle. When she made no move to open her door, he walked around to her side and pulled it open as she continued to eye him in astonishment. He grabbed her hand and helped her down. She shook her head as he slammed the door shut behind her.

"This is incredible. I can't believe... I mean, I had no idea... Nick, I honestly didn't know where you lived..."

"What? Is it a problem Alex? If you'd known I lived here, would you have moved somewhere else? I'm actually a pretty good neighbour..."

She laughed. "_No_. But, I just don't want you to think..."

"_What_?"

He pretended to not understand, but she caught a twinkle in his eyes and smiled at him in chagrin.

"Nothing."

He smiled at her discomfort and tried not to laugh out loud.

"Well, if that's _settled_... Let's get something to eat."

He started towards the door at the side of his house. She paused for a second, still bewildered at the coincidence. He looked back at her as if to say _Well, come on_...

She took a deep breath and followed him into his house.


	24. Chapter 24

She stood at the entry mat, waiting as Nick pulled off his shoes. She slipped off her sandals and looked around.

It was definitely a man's house, but it was nice. Dark wood furnishings and blues, greens and greys on the walls; very natural colours. It wasn't too dark though, with lighter coloured accents everywhere. She smiled at the large area rug with a big T in the centre and smaller ones in the corners.

_Just a little touch of Texas_...

It looked homey.

He caught her smile as he straightened up. "What?"

"It's a nice place. It looks comfy."

He grinned. "Thank you, _ma'am_. Want a quick tour?"

"Yes, please."

He took her through the kitchen and the back rooms. She looked out the back door to a nicely maintained yard with a deck. He opened doors as they moved around.

They moved to the door behind the kitchen. "Bathroom..." Then across the hall. "And this is my room."

She nodded approvingly. A dark blue comforter lay neatly over a large queen bed. There was a lounge chair in the corner, and a bookshelf that looked chocked full of manuals and forensics books.

"This room is a good size too... but mine's _bigger_!"

He laughed and headed towards the back of the house.

"And this is the fully-equipped spare room."

He grinned to himself, hoping the innuendo hadn't been too much. A similar comforter lay over another queen bed, this time in dark green.

She smiled as she took it all in. They went back down to the living room and she sat down in a leather chair.

"Wow... you're so _tidy_."

He laughed.

"Well, you know... I've always been a pretty clean guy. My Frat buddies always wanted to bring girls back to my room in the Frat House so the girls would be more impressed..."

She laughed and then looked away quickly as she tried not to think about the many girls he'd probably taken back there _himself_.

"So, what are you hungry for?"

She grinned at him. "Well..."

He caught her hopeful glance and shook his head.

"Let me guess: _pancakes_?"

She nodded and he laughed.

"OK, pancakes it is. I haven't had them since that morning anyway."

"Let me _just_..."

He'd already thrown his jacket over the back of a chair, and now he undid his top buttons, loosened his tie and pulled it over his head. She looked away uncomfortably, imagining how if might look if he hadn't stopped with _just_ the tie...

"Do you want something to drink? Coffee, tea, orange or apple juice? Ice tea?"

"Apple juice would be nice. Thanks."

He padded into the kitchen in his socks and got her some apple juice. She pulled up a stool at the counter that separated the kitchen from the living room and sipped her juice, watching him get out the ingredients for the pancakes. He looked down at his feet for a moment, and then looked back at her with a goofy smile.

"Excuse me a minute."

He disappeared into the bathroom for a minute and she heard water running. He came back out in his bare feet, and his shirt was coming untucked from his suit pants. Slightly dishevelled and smiling, he looked entirely too sexy and Alex was glad she was sitting down.

"Sorry... I hate wearing shoes and socks inside. My feet get hot."

"I wish I had that problem. My hands and feet are cold half the time. I guess I'm a typical female." She laughed.

He raised one eyebrow as he looked at her.

_Alex, you are anything but typical_.

Out loud he said, "Do you want some socks?"

"No, I'm fine right now. The temperature's perfect in here, actually."

Despite the fact that sunlight was shining through all the open blinds, and it was probably around 110 degrees outside, a gentle central air system blew cooled air through the home. She looked back around her.

"This really is a nice place, Nick. Did you do all the decorating yourself?"

"Yeah, pretty much. I replaced all the appliances when I moved in too."

She admired the stainless steel fridge and stove set.

_He definitely has good taste_.

He moved his bowl and ingredients over to the counter facing her, and she felt a moment of regret as she realized she'd been enjoying the view of his backside for quite some time now. Fortunately, the front side was _just _as nice...

"How long have you lived here, Nick?"

"Since I moved to Vegas; around 5 years ago I guess."

"Do you like Vegas?"

"Yeah, I love it. Why?"

He looked up at her questioningly as he prepared the batter.

"Oh, I just... well, I really like it too and I've been considering staying here after I finish school next semester."

He smiled at her, pausing in his preparations.

"I think you'd love it here, Alex. You should stay." He felt the beginnings of a flush and looked back down at the bowl.

She smiled shyly at the top of his head. Then she noticed that the stitches were no longer there.

"Oh, I forgot... You must have gotten your stitches out a while ago. How're you feeling?"

"Good as new."

He smiled at her and turned to a cupboard behind him. She watched as he bent down, again noticing his assets as his pants tightened around his rather firm looking rear end. She forced herself to look at the bowl of batter in front of her. He came back over and looked at her very seriously.

"We may have a problem... I don't have _Canadian_ maple syrup."

She tried to look equally serious as she replied.

"Well, you'd just better make sure these are some _damn fine_ pancakes, to cover up the inadequacies of the syrup."

He laughed and saluted her.

"_Aye Aye, Cap'n_." He looked up suddenly. "Do you want to put on some music?"

"Sure."

She looked behind her, and located the stereo over to the left of the TV. "What do you want to hear?"

"You choose." He grinned at her.

"OK, but I'm not playing country music. You can't _make_ me." She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Bah. Just because I'm from Texas... I could say the same to you, Miss Canada: No _Celine Dion_ please."

Alex laughed and made a face at him.

"Don't worry about it. _Yuck_!"

She looked at his collection and smiled. "Hey. You have Cold Play. Oh, and Queens of the Stone Age... Very cool."

She continued to rifle through the collection, random titles jumping out at her. Radiohead, Led Zeppelin, Depeche Mode...

"This is a pretty diverse collection; I'm impressed."

"And you'll notice the only country there is Johnny Cash."

She laughed. "I actually really like Johnny Cash. But I think I want to hear..."

He smiled as U2's_ 'The Joshua Tree_' started to become audible. "Nice choice."

She looked out a window beside the stereo and smiled. There was something comforting to her about the intense Las Vegas sunshine.

She noted that the yard outside this window was equally orderly.

"Man, Nick. I'm starting to worry about touching stuff in here. It's so _neat_..."

He laughed over the counter and she smiled back at him.

"Don't worry; I'm not going to follow you around straightening everything after you've touched it. I'm not that anal."

"If you say so..."

She eyed the perfectly placed chess board on the living room table warily, and he followed her glance, laughing.

"I swear to you... I'm _not_ obssessive/compulsive or anything. I've just had a lot of free time on my hands lately, so I've been doing some extra cleaning."

She looked at him curiously, but decided not to ask him about his free time. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more she wondered why he hadn't called her before... She looked back out the window.

_Get over it_,_ Alex_. _You're here with him now and everything seems fine_. _Let it go_.

"OK. The pan's heated, batter's going in... Want to do me a favour and grab some plates over here for me?"

She turned back as he spoke and then nodded, heading back to the kitchen.

"Where are they?"

He pointed at a set of glass doors over the sink and she went past him to get them. She found the cutlery drawer and pulled out some forks and knives. She left him the plates and put the cutlery on the counter. She remembered he liked butter on his and returned to the fridge, looking inside until she located it. She closed the door and felt his eyes on her. She looked up and her heart leapt at the small smile he gave her. She swallowed.

"What? I'm sorry... don't you like people going into your fridge?"

He laughed. "No, Alex... I don't care if you're in my fridge. Help yourself to it anytime. I want you feel at home here. I'm just impressed you remembered I like butter on my pancakes."

She shrugged, unsettled under his warm gaze. She _did_ feel comfortable here. It felt like _home_...

"Well, I always remember the _important_ stuff... Just ask my mother."

He grinned. "So, how are your parents? And Maddie?"

She smiled. "Same as always. Annoying but lovable."

He laughed. "Ah, they're not so bad. I quite like them. They sort of remind me of my own family. Caring and laid back, all at the same time."

She smiled shyly. "They like you too, Nick..."

She frowned.

"What's wrong?"

"I forgot... I was supposed to call them when I got settled today."

"So call them. My phone's right there, on the table beside the counter."

"Do you mind? The charges might-"

"Alex, call them. It's no big deal." He grinned suddenly. "And besides, I can just take it out of you in trade."

She raised her brows at him nervously and he smiled wider.

"You'll be washing the dishes."

* * *

_You'd never know I was there half a day ago_, Alex thought as her mother talked on and on.

She looked up and Nick was lifting pancakes out of the pan.

"I have to go, mom. Lunch is being served."

Nick smiled as he put a plate in front of her at the counter and leaned forward. "Hi Mrs. Winters." He called to the phone.

"Yes, it's Nick."

She listened then looked at Nick. "She says _'Hi back'_, Nick... Yes, he's doing well... Mmm hmmm, the stitches are out and it's... Yes... Yes he is... Mom- I gotta go..."

Nick moved around to sit beside her on a stool as she tried to get off the phone.

"Yes, I will. I promise. OK... OK, what...?"

As Nick watched her face, her cheeks took on a crimson shade.

"_Mommmmm_.... OK, that's it. I'm hanging up. Good-bye."

Nick looked at her curiously. "What'd she say?"

"Uh, nothing."

She turned to her plate and ignored his continued look of interest.

"Mmmmm... these look good."

She doused them with syrup and scooped a piece up, stuffing it quickly into her mouth. She could feel Nick's stare from the side but ignored him, concentrating on her pancakes. Soon, the delicious taste melted away her discomfort and she smiled at him happily.

"Once again, these are amazing. And the syrup's not too bad either."

He grinned at her and swallowed a biteful.

"Thanks. Glad you approve."

She devoured hers in no time and watched as he went back for another one off the stove.

"Two enough for you this time, or do you want more?"

"Um, I think I'm good. Thanks."

He slid back into the seat beside her, his leg grazing hers in the process. She felt a small pleasure as he didn't move it away, and she sipped the fresh juice he'd poured for her, watching him eat beside her out of the corner of her eye.

_Man, I can't believe I'm here_. _It just feels so_... _right_. _I don't want to move from this spot_.

She leaned on one elbow and looked over at him. She knew she couldn't stare at him unabashedly for long, so she broke the silence.

"Thanks, Nick. For driving me, for breakfast..."

"It's my pleasure, Alex."

His eyes shined as he looked at her, smiling. He watched her carefully from the side, and he felt a little tingly as he looked at her bare neck and shoulders, recalling how they'd _tasted_...

Neither one of them had made any effort to stop their thighs from touching, and she became more aware of the warmth of him next to her. She suddenly felt nervous again, and looked back at her juice.

He frowned as she slowly elevated herself away from the stool and stood beside him.

"I'm just going to borrow your... facilities." She smiled awkwardly and he grinned.

"Help yourself. There's a clean hand towel beside the sink."

She nodded and headed past the kitchen and disappeared. He frowned again as he sat there thinking.

_What just happened there_? _She seemed to pull away, and not just physically_.

He took another bite of his pancakes, feeling slightly troubled.

Alex splashed some cold water on her face and stared into the mirror.

_Wow_. _I don't think I can do this_... _I just_... _I want him too badly_.

As her subconscious tried to tell her to relax again, her heart responded.

_I'm scared_. _I don't think I could handle being taken for a ride by this guy_... _He already means so much to me_...

This time the brain decided to contribute.

_Why don't you just ask him why he was avoiding you_?

She wiped her hands on the towel and sighed.

_Maybe I should_...

As she opened the door, she heard water running suddenly, and plates being lowered into the sink. She frowned as she walked up behind him in the kitchen.

"Hey, that's _my_ job."

"I know, I know... I just thought I'd help you out."

He grabbed a dish towel and stood waiting. She laughed and started washing.

"Hmmm... Not anal, huh? We just finished eating and you want to wash the dishes already?"

He grinned at her sheepishly. "Well, I... I don't usually worry about it. I have a dishwasher and I pretty much dump everything in there."

She looked at him in disbelief. "Then why am I washing dishes? I'd much rather pay you for the long distance call."

He cut her off and placed her hands back into the water. "_Uh uh_. Get washing, missy."

She laughed and shook her head. "I guess it's not exactly corporal punishment."

* * *

They finished off and moved back into the living room to relax for a while. He'd chickened out and hadn't asked her if she wanted to stay there that night, and he'd offered to help her sort out a hotel later on.

Alex decided to play it safe and sat in the chair again. He lounged on the sofa and grabbed a couple of remotes.

"Do you mind if I check the scores?"

She grinned. "Go for it."

He flicked off the stereo with one remote and turned on the TV with another. He tried to concentrate on what he was seeing, but he couldn't shake his disappointment in Alex's suddenly cooler demeanor. It was subtle, but he couldn't help but notice it. He bent one knee and pulled his foot up on the sofa, leaning to the side.

Alex watched every move he made from the corner of her eye. He looked so relaxed and comfortable and... well, _pretty damned sexy actually_. It was eating her up that she could barely control her body, and he looked so tranquil over there. Maybe now she should try and ask him about...

She instantly lost her nerve. She yawned, despite her body's current state of tension.

"You tired? What time did you get up this morning?"

"5:30. I had to pack. I'm OK though."

"If you want to catch a nap, feel free to use the spare bedroom... I just washed everything a couple of days ago."

She shook her head no. "I'll be OK."

She curled her legs up beside her and smiled contentedly. He grinned as he looked at her painted toenails. She caught him watching her and he looked back at the TV screen quickly.

Nick stretched his arms out and leaned back on the sofa. He longed to just grab her and pull her over to him. In fact, what he _really_ wanted to do was carry on from where they'd left off at her place that afternoon...

He peeked at her again. She's shifted her legs to the other side, and her head rested on her hand, her elbow resting on the wooden arm of his chair. Her hair hung down over her hand, hiding her face from him.

She sighed.

_Maybe if I can't actually see him, I won't feel so hot and bothered_...

* * *

Nick yawned for about the third time and realized he probably needed a nap. He looked at his watch. 3:42 pm. He looked over at Alex and noticed she hadn't moved positions at all.

He spoke quietly. "Alex?"

She didn't respond and he moved around the chair, looking down at her. She was fast asleep.

He smiled tenderly and hunched in front of her. "_Alex_?"

She shifted slightly, but didn't seem to wake up. He leaned forward and pushed her hair away from her face, his hand lingering on her cheek. He stroked his fingers lightly across, glad to see that her cuts were mostly gone, and the horror of the past seemed to be fading away with them.

He moved his hand down to her bare arm and managed to refrain from running his fingers down the soft skin...

"_Alex_?"

She shifted in her chair a bit and moaned lightly in her sleep. He smiled again and made a decision.

He carefully slid his arms underneath her and lifted her gently up out of the chair and into his arms. She shifted again and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, snuggling into his neck. He could feel her breath across his throat and he swallowed hard, desire overwhelming him. He put a kiss in her hair and then moved down the hallway to the spare room.

Pushing the door open with his foot, he carried her into the room and tried to prop her up with one knee as he pulled the sheet and comforter back with his free arm. It was awkward, but he managed and slowly placed her on the bed.

Tucking her feet under the sheet, he noticed that her short dress had ridden up her thigh somewhat...

He blew out a quiet stream of air and pulled the covers up over her. She snuggled into the comforter and turned on her side. He looked down at her and smiled gently. He moved her hair out of her face again and then couldn't resist bending over and kissing her softly on the cheek.

_Sleep tight_.

He left the room and made his way back to the sofa.

_Well, I was tired, but now_...

He looked down in annoyance at his state of arousal and sighed. He picked the remote back up and started flicking through the channels.

* * *

Alex rolled over and sighed. She couldn't remember her bed ever being this comfortable. She laid in the dark a little while longer, feeling snug and content. Then she opened her eyes and realized she didn't know where she was.

She sat up quickly and looked around the darkened room. There was a bedside table lamp and she flicked it on quickly. It slowly came back to her...

_Nick_. _This is Nick's house_.

She looked down at herself and smiled. She was still in the same dress.

_He must have carried me in here_.

She smiled to herself at his thoughtfulness.

_God, that man is so sweet_...

She crawled out of the bed and moved to the mirror on the dresser. The alarm clock said 7:35 pm.

_Well, I look like I just woke up, but there's not much I can do about that_.

She ran her fingers through her hair and moved to the door.

As she returned to the living room, she paused at the end of the hall. The TV was still on at a low volume, and Nick lay on the sofa on his back but slightly tilted towards the back, one arm at his side and the other thrown over his head, which was also turned away from her. He'd taken off his shirt and his belt was undone, causing his pants to sit a little lower on his hip...

Alex couldn't seem to stop herself from moving closer, her eyes never leaving his exposed body. She stood on the other side of the coffee table from him and she felt her chest rising a little more quickly as desire racked her body.

_Oh God_...

She'd never seen anything so arousing in her life. She licked her lips, and tried to convince herself to back up and return to the spare room. She looked at the side of his face, the strong jaw melding perfectly into his muscular neck and shoulders.

_Oh, man_... _the muscles_.

Her gaze returned to his gently rising chest, and moved down to his muscled stomach. Many terms rolled through her lust-addled brain...

W_ashboard, six pack_...

She looked away and tried to get a grip on herself again, but it was so much more difficult this time. She found herself looking back at him again and she actually groaned out loud, then put her hand to her mouth as she saw him stir slightly. She moved backwards in panic and then turned around and quickly went into the bathroom, closing the door gently behind her.

She lowered the toilet seat lid and sat down heavily, her heart thumping forcefully in her chest. She put her head into her hands and groaned inwardly this time.

_Oh my God_. _I was this close to attacking him in his sleep_...

What was wrong with her? She'd lusted after men before, but this was bordering on madness. She'd never had this much trouble controlling herself before.

She stood up and moved to the sink, running the cold water again. She splashed it on her face and felt her sanity slowly returning. She was just drying her face when a gentle rap on the door startled her.

"Alex? Hey, if you want to take a shower, go ahead. There are tons of towels in the closet in there. I can go grab your suitcase out of the back of my car if you need anything from it."

She felt her heartbeat start to increase again and mentally chastized herself.

_Easy_, _now_...

She took a deep breath and called through the door. "Um, I'm OK right now... maybe later."

"OK."

She heard him move away from the door.

She pushed her head up and tried to gather her senses.

_OK_. _You can do this_. _Stay calm_.

She breathed in and out a couple of times and then moved to the door. She walked back out and saw Nick sitting on the sofa. He'd put his shirt back on, but it wasn't buttoned up. She smiled at him carefully and made her way back into the living room.

"Um... sorry, Nick... I didn't wake you up, did I?"

He shook his head. "No, I don't think so. And anyway, I only sleep for a few hours after my last shift. It helps me sleep regularly at night when I'm on days off."

She nodded and sat back down in the chair. "Uh, maybe I should look into that hotel now..."

He frowned slightly, but recovered quickly. "Well, actually, I was thinking I might take you out to dinner."

She felt a ripple of shocked pleasure. "Oh, um... You don't have to do that. I mean, you already made me brunch..." She smiled bashfully.

"I know. I _want_ to, though. The pancakes must have worn off by now."

She looked at her stomach and then looked at him like she might be interested afterall. He grinned at her.

"Did you sleep well?"

She smiled timidly again. "Yeah, thanks... Uh, thanks for carrying me to the bed. It's... it's really comfortable."

He nodded. "Yeah, I almost hated to give it up when I bought the new one... But it's even _better_."

She blushed and looked at the sofa behind him.

"You looked pretty comfortable on the sofa, actually..."

"Ah, I can pretty much sleep anywhere these days. Sometimes there's a lot of overtime and you catch a wink where you can."

"I bet. Well, um... I guess I should change if you want to go out somewhere."

He looked at her dress appraisingly.

"I really don't think you need to change. That dress is _perfect_."

She felt her cheeks go redder still. "Um, thanks. It's, uh... cool. In the heat."

He stood up suddenly and she had to stop herself from gasping out loud as his shirt flapped open more widely and she saw his stunning torso again. She looked over at the TV, feigning interest in the current program. He moved past her chair.

"I think I'll just grab a shower first, if you don't mind waiting a little."

"No, not at all." She kept her eyes on the TV. "Oh, Nick? Can I get your keys? Maybe I'll just get some stuff from my suitcase... freshen up a bit."

He nodded. "Over on the table by the phone."

She looked over, carefully avoiding looking at him directly. "OK, thanks."

He walked into his room and she leaned back in her chair, letting out another deep breath.

_One minute I feel _too_ relaxed and at home here, the next I feel as though I might not be able to stop myself from running my hands down his chest_... A_rg_...

She heard Nick go into the bathroom behind her and she went to the kitchen and poured herself a cold glass of water. She sat back down in the chair and concentrated on the TV in an attempt to regain her composure. She heard the shower being turned on and she shivered faintly, unbidden images of Nick standing naked under the spray of water taking over her mind.

She raised the glass and drank deeply and noticed that her hands were shaking.

_Shit_.

* * *

Nick stood in front of the mirror, wiping off the last of the shaving cream. He rubbed his hands over his face, satisfied with the smoothness.

He heard the front door open and figured Alex must have gone out to get her suitcase. He pulled his towel tighter around his hips and headed to the door, wanting to leave it open behind him to get rid of some of the steam in case Alex needed in there when she came back inside.

He walked out of the bathroom and straight into Alex. She dropped her blowdryer and he grabbed her before she fell backwards in surprise.

"_Whoh_... Sorry."

He let go of her and she stepped back a couple paces, looking embarrassed. "I thought you'd gone outside..."

He watched as colour seeped up her neck and into her face. She placed a hand over her mouth and looked at the ground. He realized he was standing there in just a towel and felt a little bit guilty as he realized he was making her uncomfortable.

She tried to talk.

"I already... I was just going to look to see if there was a plug by the mirror in the bedroom..."

She'd found herself looking back up at him as she'd started speaking, and found that she suddenly couldn't make herself look away. His hair was damp and tousled and his chest muscles were _gleaming_...

He watched her swallow and he felt a moment of uncertainty.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to startle you..."

He trailed off as he watched her eyes become more intense, and he found _he _was the one swallowing this time. His pulse raced as she stared back at him. Neither of them spoke for a moment. He finally took a tentative step towards her.

"Alex?"

He looked at her, his expression that of half-concern, half... what? She couldn't seem to concentrate and she looked down at where his towel sat on his hip, drops of water dripping down his abdomen, his defined hip muscle sitting just above the fold...

She was finding it difficult to breathe, and she shuddered slightly as she looked back up at his face, unable to mask the desire in her eyes.

Nick stared back into her eyes, feeling his body responding to what he saw there. He started to move towards her again, reaching for her arm as he looked down at her, the yearning in her eyes reflected in his.

He moved his hand up her arm and gently placed both hands on her face, one finger stroking her cheek softly. She gulped once more and his lips moved in towards hers...

"_Alex_..."

His lips met hers and the electricity shot through them both.

She felt an ache building in her stomach as she ran her hands around to his back and grasped at his shoulders desperately. He clutched her to him, his lips assaulting hers with the pent-up passion of the last three weeks. She felt a fire burning through her and she moaned into his kisses.

They moved back against the wall, and she barely felt it as her back knocked up against it. Nick's lips pulled away slightly and he looked at her with concern, but she reached up and pulled his mouth back down onto hers, not willing to lose the contact. He groaned as she moved her hand down to his side and made her way up to his chest, her fingers caressing the muscles there.

He moved his mouth down to her neck and she shivered with pleasure, her centre melting into warm liquid. His hands moved down her body and she gasped as he moved lightly over her breast. He moaned and moved lower, pushing her thin dress strap down her arm.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she was happy she'd worn somewhat sexy, but more importantly _matching_ black lingerie that day...

He pulled his head back and looked at her half exposed bra and then he looked back at her face, hunger burning behind his eyes.

"Alex... I..." There was a question behind the fire, and she smiled back at him, her longing evident.

"Are you sure you want..."

She felt her heart pound to a different beat, as she recognized that he didn't want to force her to do anything she didn't want to do. She loved that he was such a gentleman, so caring...

"Am I sure I want _you_, Nick? I don't think I've ever wanted anything _more_."

He smiled deeply at her and scooped her into his arms, carrying her into his bedroom.

* * *

**_A.N_:** Fair warning- the next chapter _WILL_ be **R** rated. ;) 


	25. Chapter 25

He pulled the covers back with one hand, and then laid her carefully down on the bed, his hands moving up her body as he moved partially over top of her. Her eyes sparkled up at him in the dim room, reflecting in the light that streamed through the doorway from the hall.

He leaned on one side as he slid her other dress strap down her shoulder, revealing all of the slinky black bra beneath. He placed his hand gently on her rib cage, kissing her in the hollow of her throat. His lips made their way downward and she arched her back, her nipples pushing at the silky material of her bra, aching to be free. His lips moved along the top of the bra, grazing the tops of her breasts below, and she felt the wetness between her legs increase. He moved her bra strap down her arm, his lips continuing their trail across the top of the material. His mouth moved down, and she shivered as his lips paused at the top of the chasm between her breasts. She felt his stiffness pressing against her as he settled one leg between hers.

She gasped as she felt his tongue dart out and caress a nipple through the fabric of her bra, and she grabbed tightly at the arm that held him above her. She felt the tensed muscles there and moved her hand up his arm, over his shoulder and into the back of his hair. She moved her other hand down the side of his chest and he trembled beneath her touch.

Her fingers came to rest just above his towel and he moaned into her chest. She slid her fingertips along the top of the fold until she was below his navel, and she stroked the dark hair that made its way downwards. He drew in a ragged breath and she felt his supporting arm give out a bit, then strengthen again.

Both of her bra straps lay near her elbows now and her back arched even more as his hand moved away the delicate material and his head dipped down to capture one of her exposed breasts. His lips slid sensually over the side of the soft mound, and his free hand gently caressed the other, his thumb massaging her taut nipple. She felt as though she might explode as his tongue flicked over her other nipple, and he groaned out loud as he tasted her.

His hand stopped its ministrations to her other breast for a moment, and he reached behind her back to quickly release the clasp of her bra. He leaned back from her breasts and she pushed her chest upwards, trying not to lose his touch. Pulling the bra away from her, he contunued to stroke one breast, his mouth reclaiming the other. She whimpered with pleasure as he gently pulled at her nipple with his teeth, then moved his lips back over it and suckled erotically. Her breasts throbbed in rhythm with the gradually increasing pulsations between her legs...

Suddenly, he began kissing his way down her stomach, pushing the fabric of her dress down as he went, his fingers caressing her seductively at the same time. His tongue flicked into her belly button and she clutched at his shoulders as the sensation branched down to her throbbing core.

As he ran his fingers across the area just above her panties, he leaned back off the bed and lifted her hips up slightly. He pulled the dress all the way down her legs and dropped it to the floor.

He looked down at her and she could see his dark eyes shining in the dim room, the heat behind his gaze almost burning her up on the spot. She looked down at where the towel hung loosely around his hips, his erection pushing at the material. He stroked her thigh sensually as he leaned back over her....then he grimaced and moved back away.

"Just a second..."

She felt abandoned and frustrated as he darted out of the room.

_What's he_...?

He came back into the room, opening a small cardboard box as he entered, and he pulled out a little plastic package.

She smiled up at him shyly and he felt his heart leap into his throat. He groaned again as he carefully lowered himself on top of her. His erection pressed down on her as he pushed his hips into her, his mouth once again assaulting her breasts. She reached down and pulled at his sides, trying to encourage him to move further up her body.

He obeyed her demands, and she twisted her body to the side as he captured her mouth with his own again. His hand slid to her hip, clutching her... She moaned, sliding her own hands back down to his belly again. As she dipped her fingertips under the towel, his lower body began to move slightly... rhythmically back and forth.

She teased her hand further down through the wiry hairs below and felt the back of her hand graze his erection. He moaned into her mouth, his lips sliding over to the side of her face. He groaned into her ear.

"_God_ ..."

She smiled into his cheek as she turned her hand slightly and gently moved her fingers down his stiffened shaft. He arched his back and shivered, his face in her hair now. He grasped at her shoulders, and then he moved one hand back down her side, his fingers sliding across the fabric on the front of her panties. She felt a shiver of delight at the feather-like touch.

She stroked him again, and he shuddered more strongly.

"Oh _God, Alex_... Do you know what you _do_ to me...?"

He moaned as she pushed the fabric of the towel away with her other hand and then ran her fingers over his exposed hip. As his hand slipped between her legs and softly stroked her through the material, she felt her hips push out involuntarily towards him. He lifted his head and looked at her in shocked arousal.

"You're... you're already so _wet_."

She closed her eyes as she felt his hand slip underneath the material, his fingers moving over the soft folds of skin underneath. She cried out as he touched her most sensitive places.

"Oh, _Nick_. _Please_..."

She pushed her breasts against his body, and her hand began to massage him a little faster now. He choked out her name again, and his finger dipped inside her. She felt a jolt of energy and she pushed her hips into him, wanting to feel him deep inside her. He pushed her panties down her legs, and she flicked them to the floor with her leg.

She pulled at his hip desperately and put her lips to his ear. He shivered as she whispered to him, her voice ragged with desire.

"_Please_, _Nick_... _Please_... _I need you inside me_..."

He groaned louder this time as he rolled back on top of her, grabbing for the condom package and tearing it open. He somehow managed to put it on while he nibbled lightly on her breasts; she closed her eyes and pushed her hips towards him again.

He looked down at her then and smiled, running a finger gently over her lips. She opened her eyes and looked up at him in surprise... She gasped as she saw the look in his eyes.

His desire was almost a physical presence, and she'd never seen _anyone_ look at her that way before; she'd never felt so _wanted_. He smiled at her passionately and ran his hands down her body. His fingers trailed further down and she pushed her hips out in anticipation, crying out as he caressed her womanhood once more.

Suddenly, she felt him pushing inside her... She inhaled deeply and he moaned aloud as he finally entered her, both of them shuddering under the intense pleasure of the friction. He looked back down at her and began to move back and forth into her, slowly at first.

His eyes held hers and she moved with him without effort; her body seemed to know what it was doing. He pushed deeper and deeper and she felt waves of bliss roll over her body. She felt her climax building slowly within and she watched his face as he became more and more impassioned, his heated expression increasing her own arousal even more...

He began to thrust inside her more quickly and she clutched at his buttocks, trying to pull him in deeper and deeper. Suddenly his hand slipped down between her legs as he moved faster and faster into her, his fingers caressing her swollen nub. She cried out as the waves of ecstasy washed over her and her body arched against him uncontrollably.

She felt as though her body was exploding, and she couldn't seem to stop her arms from flying back over her head, her hands clutching wildly at nothing. She felt her inner passage gripping and releasing him of its own accord... The orgasm had taken over her body.

Nick sucked in a deep breath as he felt her hot, wet channel closing around him, pulsing and tightening on his nearly exploding erection. He didn't think he could hold it back any longer, and as he forced himself up on his arms to push harder inside her, his head snapped back as the rapture consumed his body.

He felt the climactic pressure work its way through his body as he ground his hips into her, no longer in control of himself. Alex finally had power over her hands again, and she reached up to clutch his hips once more, pulling him tighter into her as she watched his jaw clench while he lost himself inside her.

* * *

He slowly came to his senses, his pelvic regions still throbbing slightly in the aftermath. His face rested on her chest, her chin resting in his hair, and his arms reached up to clutch her shoulders. He was still inside her and he didn't want to lose the feeling just yet...

She shivered beneath him and he raised his head slightly to look into her face. She tilted her head to gaze back, and he felt his heart beat begin to race again at the huge smile on her face.

He felt utterly spent, but managed to push himself up onto his forearms, and as his hips moved slightly, she reached down to grab at his waist, trying to hold him in place.

"No... Please don't go... Stay inside me..." She smiled more shyly and he looked at her tenderly.

"I'm not going anywhere."

He moved his face close to hers, staring deeply into her eyes before he kissed her slowly. She moved her hands up his back and massaged his shoulders, feeling the kiss reigniting her inner passions... She couldn't stop the smile from forming under his kisses, and he pulled back from her slightly, smiling back.

He whispered to her as he ran one hand up to her cheek, caressing her softy.

"What are you smiling at?"

"_You_."

She blushed a bit and he ran his fingers through her hair, then delicately stroked her neck. He smiled back at her, his eyes sparkling.

"Alex, I've wanted this for so_ long_..." He gazed down at her longingly and she shuddered some more.

"Me too."

He sighed as he felt himself finally slip out of the warmth between her legs. He removed and disposed of the condom in one quick move, then slid up beside her body, facing her. She turned to face him and he pulled her closer to him, his hips rubbing against hers, his hand running down her arm to rest on her hip. She couldn't stop her hands from running over his chest and he sighed under her caresses.

"So what took us so long?" He smirked at her and she smiled uncomfortably.

"You tell me..." She said it quietly.

He raised one eyebrow and she decided to risk her question.

"Nick, I... I think I've been crazy about you almost since we met, and when you... When we..." She blushed and he finished her sentence.

"When we fooled around on your sofa?" He grinned cheekily and she laughed.

"Yeah, that..."

She became a little more serious. "Well, I thought maybe you were actually interested in me too..."

He laughed at her and brought his hand back up to her cheek again.

"Alex, I'm pretty sure you were the only one who _didn't_ know how attracted I was to you..." He smirked as she raised an eyebrow in question and he continued. "You _had_ me within the first _few hours_..."

She stared back into his eyes and felt her breath catch as she recognized the honesty there. He spoke again.

"And when you went back to Vancouver, I thought.... I don't know. We'd been through _so_ _much_ and then... You'd moved everything out of your apartment, and I didn't know if you were coming back."

He frowned as he recalled how desolate he'd felt and she reached her own hand up to his face, running her fingers down his cheek.

"I'm sorry, Nick... I didn't mean to... It's just that, you seemed to be avoiding me, and I... I thought maybe you weren't as interested in me as I was in you, or I'd been too obvious and scared you off or... I don't know."

He kissed her fingers and smiled at her with regret. "Damn... I knew I'd blown it."

She looked at him in question again and he went on.

"I was feeling some pressure from the department about getting too close to a victim in an active investigation. They were worried about muddying up the department's name, making it look bad. I... I'm sorry Alex. I stayed away even though I didn't want to. I wanted to be with you."

She smiled sympathetically, understanding _completely_ how he'd felt at their separation.

"And when I called the hospital the next morning, you'd checked out, and I couldn't reach anyone at the hotel all day and then.... and then you were _gone_."

He pulled her closer resting his face near her ear, his lips murmuring into her hair. "Don't leave me again like that, OK? I don't think I could handle it."

She hugged him tightly and gently kissed his neck, feeling him shiver.

"I swear I didn't want to go, Nick... I'm sorry. It just seemed like the best move at the time."

She pulled her head back slightly and he looked down at her, his hands stroking her back. "I didn't want to leave you at _all_."

"Just don't leave without telling me again, OK?"

He looked at her half in happiness and half in sadness, and she reached up to touch his face again.

"OK."

She smiled at him adoringly and he felt his heartbeat quicken again.

She moved her body tighter against his and he felt her breasts pressing against his chest. He felt a small stream of pleasure sneak through him, and he grasped at her hip more tightly. She felt him begin to stiffen against her stomach again and she moved slightly away from him so she could run her fingers down his chest. She smiled up at him amorously and he felt himself getting harder still. She smiled timidly, looking a bit surprised.

"Wow... that was _fast_."

He looked down at her with a sexy grin. "I'm as surprised as you are..."

He ran his hand over one of her breasts and felt her shudder beneath his hand.

"Well... maybe not _that_ surprised..."

She looked back at him longingly, and he groaned as he took her mouth with his yet again

* * *

Alex woke up in the darkness, momentarily disoriented... Until she felt the warm arms wrapped around her from behind. She felt his even breaths on her shoulder as he slept tightly against her back, one leg slipped comfortably between hers. She smiled in the darkness, her heart welling up with joy.

_I can't believe I'm really here_.

She looked over at the alarm clock beside the bed. 4:30 am. She sighed contentedly.

They'd made love over and over again for hours and had finally fallen into an exhausted sleep together. She groaned now to herself as she realized why she'd awoken. She was both desperately thirsty and desperately in need of the bathroom at the same time. She caressed the arms wrapped around her and wondered how she was going to slip out of this position without waking up Nick...

She slowly pulled the top arm away from her chest, setting it somewhat behind her and tried to ease forward. She heard him sigh in his sleep and she moved her legs out of the way as he rolled onto his back, throwing an arm over his head. She slid off the bed and turned to look down at him, the hall light falling across his half-covered body.

She smiled down at his sleeping form.

_Wow_. _He's so_...

She couldn't even find the words, and her heart sped up in her chest.

She took a small breath and then looked around the room for something to cover herself with. She saw a dark t-shirt laying on the chair and she made her way around the bed and pulled it over her head. As she made her way back to the door, she stepped on her panties on the floor and hastily pulled them on.

She padded out to the bathroom and went inside, turning on the light. She smiled at herself in the mirror, her touseled hair and shining eyes a dead give away to her current emotions... and a firm indicator of what she'd been doing for most of the evening.

She made her way out to the kitchen, quietly opened a cupboard to retrieve a glass and then ran the cold water. She sipped quietly, unable to stop the flow of hapiness that made its way through her tired body. She smiled as she leaned against the counter, thinking about how _sore_ she actually felt...

"What are you smiling about _now_?"

She jumped a bit as she looked up to see Nick leaning against the kitchen entryway. He had on a pair of navy boxers and she felt a thrill tingle through her at his sexy smile. She blushed and looked down at the floor.

"Um, nothing..."

He moved over to her and wrapped his arms around her, forcing her back against the counter. He smiled down into her face and she held her water glass behind his back, feeling happy to be back in his arms.

"Oh yeah? _Nothing_?"

He raised a brow at her, still grinning and she laughed. He reached around and pulled the glass from her fingertips, drinking deeply and watching her as she tried to answer.

"Well, maybe there was _something_... But I think I've forgotten it."

He laughed. "Hmm. Maybe I can help you remember..."

He set the glass on the counter and moved his hands down to her hips and pulled her more tightly against him, kissing her lips, her cheek, her ear lobe, her neck...

She shivered and giggled a bit. "Oh, I _might_ remember what it was now..."

He picked her up in his arms again and she sighed into his neck as he carried her back into his room.

* * *

Nick padded around the kitchen making breakfast as Alex watched from a bar stool. She hadn't been able to stop smiling all morning. Nick turned and caught her watching him. He flashed her with one of his stunning smiles and she felt the butterflies return.

"If you're even half as hungry as I am, you could probably devour my entire fridge."

She laughed. "Just open the door and stand back."

He grinned at her over the counter. "Veggie omelette sound good... for starters?"

She laughed.

"Yes, that sounds excellent. I think we may have forgotten to eat dinner last night." She felt herself flush as she thought about what they'd substituted for food.

"Yeah... but I didn't notice at the time." He smiled at her significantly and she laughed.

"_Dinner_? What's _dinner_?" She joked, and they both laughed.

He refilled her apple juice again. "You sure are thirsty, darlin'. I may have to run to the store and buy some more juice."

She smiled. The way he said _darlin' _was so _sexy_... She couldn't believe either of them had any liquid left inside them after the constant lovemaking. She smiled sheepishly and he grinned, following her train of thought easily.

"Yeah, well... I had some... _exercise_."

He laughed as he left the omelette to cook for a moment and moved around the counter towards her.

"Ah, yes, _exercise_. All I can say is, that was one_ hell_ of a workout!" They both burst out laughing.

He slid up against her as she sat on the bar stool, standing between her legs. He dipped his head and kissed her slowly and deeply. She shivered as she felt her body responding, and ran her fingers over his bare chest and around his sides, sighing into the kiss. His hands moved down the t-shirt she was wearing and slid underneath, caressing her hips, a finger sliding under the side of her panties. She gasped and pushed him away, laughing suddenly.

"Nick, you're going to _kill _me! I don't know if I can handle any more... at least not until I've had some nourishment."

He laughed and held his hands up in front of him.

"OK, OK... I'm sorry." He smiled bashfully. "I'm just having some problems keeping my hands off you... I can't remember ever wanting someone this _badly_..." He stroked her thigh thoughtfully and she smiled as he looked at her warmly.

"I know what you mean." She lowered her head slightly and looked up at him through half-lowered eyelids, embarrassed. "And I... I haven't been with anybody in... in a long time." She smiled self-consciously.

He moved back in to stand between her legs, placing his arms around her back and pulling her into a gentle embrace. He spoke into her hair.

"Me either."

She felt a bit surprised at this, and she guessed she must have stiffened somewhat because he pulled back a bit and looked down at her. "What?"

She grinned at him, disbelievingly.

"Really?" She raised one eyebrow and he laughed.

"Yeah, _really_. Why is that so hard to believe?" His own brows were raised now too.

"Well, it's just that you're... _you're_ so _hot_." He barked laughter and she smiled sheepishly. "Well, you _are_!"

He looked back down at her grinning. "Well, so are _you_. What's _your_ excuse?"

She laughed and shook her head, knowing she was far from hot. She knew she was attractive, but accepted that she was more _pretty_ than _beautiful_.

Once again, he seemed to be reading her mind.

"You _are _beautiful, Alex... you know that don't you?"

She looked away, embarrassed, and he gently urged her face back towards him with his hand. He pushed her hair behind her ear and looked into her eyes, that deep, earnest gaze taking her breath away once more.

"You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

She swallowed and he leaned in to kiss her deeply again. She clutched at his shoulders, feeling him pull her back in...

She opened her eyes slightly and caught the beginnings of smoke coming from the stove. She pushed at his chest and he looked back at her, his eyes both heated and confused.

"Nick, the omelette..."

"Oh shit..."

He trotted back into the kitchen and grabbed the pan.

"Phew. It didn't burn." He looked back at her and laughed. "I guess I better concentrate on the_ food_ for a while..." He looked at her meaningfully and she grinned at him.

"Thank God. I'm _starving_..."

"Patience, young lady... and who says this one is _yours_, anyway..." He grinned at her, mischief in his brown eyes.

She grabbed a coaster from the counter and through it at him, hitting him squarely on the rear end.

"Hey, _ouch_! That's no way to treat the chef!"

She giggled in amusement. "But I'm a _guest_... I should get mine first!"

"_Yes_,_ Ma'am_. I've learned my lesson!" He rubbed at his backside, feigning pain.

She leaned her elbows on the counter as he turned back to the task at hand. She watched his muscles move slightly as he moved around the kitchen getting things, and she felt her throat tightening as she noticed how low his boxers sat on his hips... She smiled contentedly and continued to watch him.

_The view from here isn't so bad_...

* * *

Stretched out on the sofa watching a movie a little while later, Nick looked down at Alex asleep on his chest.

She was curled into his side, her fingers splayed across his chest, her face nestled just under his chin. Her bared leg stretched over his middle and he smiled as he remembered that their first encounter had started this way. He brought his hand up from behind her and stroked her lower back.

Feeling a trickle of pleasure, Alex opened her eyes and looked up at him blearily. Her face broke into an instant smile and he felt himself smiling back.

"Hey, sleepy girl. Were you dreaming about me again?"

She pushed off his bare chest and looked down at him in question. "Pardon?"

He gave her a playful grin and caressed her shoulder.

"Oh, nothing... I was just remembering that afternoon on your sofa, when you were dreaming about me..."

She turned bright red and tried to protest. "What? I... I didn't... I wasn't..."

"Alex, you said my _name_ in your sleep that day." He grinned even more as she became positively flustered.

"I... I did _not_..."

She looked at him in a comedic sort of horror and he laughed.

"_Yes_, you _did_. And then you snuggled into me like a little cat. It was pretty shameless, actually..."

She looked back at him, unspeaking. Her face could not have been redder and he couldn't stop himself from laughing a little harder. She slowly began to smile, despite her embarrassment.

"I really said your _name_?"

"Yep. Scouts honour." He smiled at her sweetly and she giggled.

"Well, who could blame me, really."

She smiled down at him seductively and ran her hand across his chest muscles, watching him from hooded eyes. He looked up at her, feeling arousal start to take hold again. Her hand slid lower, and she wet her lips...

Then she smacked him lightly on the chest and climbed off him, grinning mischievously. He looked at her, disappointment etched in his features.

"Where are you going?"

She tried to look nonchalant and headed towards the kitchen.

"Uh, I don't know... I've got the munchies again... and I'll probably grab a shower if you don't mind; I need to go check out my place and then..."

She felt her amusement threaten to overflow as she watched his expression become more and more disappointed. When she was confident she'd gotten him, she sprinted back over to where he was half-sitting up on the couch and threw herself over him, straddling his hips. He looked up at her shocked and she laughed down at him.

"I bet that's the last time you _tease_ me... especially for something I did in my _sleep_..."

She continued to grin at him and he shook his head, laughing.

"Woman, you are the _devil_... that was _cold_!"

He sat up beneath her and wrapped his arms around her and looked into her face. She smiled back at him happily and he felt his own grin widen.

"A woman has to stick up for herself, you know."

He smiled tenderly back at her and spoke softly. "I'll keep that in mind."

He nuzzled her neck and she giggled gleefully. He leaned back and took her all in again. She smiled shyly, uncomfortable under his appraisal.

_Damn_,_ she's beautiful_.

She suddenly leaned her head to one side and began to frown a bit.

"What's wrong?"

"Well, I was just thinking... If you were supposed to avoid me because of how it looks for the police department...."

He frowned back her. "Yeah?"

"Well, what happens now? Are you going to be in trouble? I don't want that, Nick..."

He sighed. He'd worried about the same thing... Until she'd undressed him with her eyes outside the bathroom last night.

"Don't worry about it, Alex. I'll deal with it." He tried to smile encouragingly at her, but she continued to frown.

"Look, my personal life is just that: _My _personal life; it's none of their business. We may have met during this case, but that's all pretty much over now, besides the trial."

"Nick, is James Meadfield still in a coma?" She still looked concerned and he stroked her arms gently.

"Yeah, as far as I know. And if he doesn't wake up, there won't even _be _a trial."

She nodded and looked down at his chest; the thought had ocurred to her before. He frowned at the serious look on her face, wanting to convince her everything would be OK... for _both_ of them.

"Alex, we haven't done anything wrong. The guy was a psycho and he got what he deserved... in fact I think he got _better _than he deserved." He grimaced. "But I'm not going to wait for him to wake up and see how this all pans out..."

He gazed directly into her eyes, smiling gently. "I want to be with you now."

He stroked her cheek and was gratified to see her smile returning. He leaned in and kissed her softly, and she sighed. He pulled back and grinned at her hopefully.

"So... got any plans this weekend? Cuz I was sort of hoping..." He smiled at her with interest and she giggled.

"Nope, no plans. What did you have in mind?"

He stared at her hungrily and she bit her bottom lip, the yearning beginning to mount within her again. He stood up with her still straddling him, and carried her back towards his room.

She sighed happily, but still there was a nagging doubt at the back of her mind...

_I hope this works out OK_. _I couldn't bear it if anything went wrong for Nick_...

He slid his hands under her panties, his fingers grasping at her behind as they entered his room, and she felt the worry slip away for now...

* * *

_**A.N**(Part 2)_: Man, I didn't realize how hard that was going to be to write...

And I'm going on holidays for about 3 weeks starting in a couple of days; I'm trying to decide whether I should continue this story or just wrap it up quickly... what do you guys think? I'm still into writing it, but there could be a large gap between new chapters...


	26. Chapter 26

Nick looked down at his fairly depleted box of condoms and sighed. "And I just bought these a month ago..."

"_What_?"

She thought about how long they'd known each other and grinned suspiciously.

He looked at her sheepishly. "Well, I had some other ones but they'd actually expired..." He flashed her a big smile. "Then I met you and decided I needed to invest in some up-to-date models."

She laughed and then looked at him curiously.

"So, _what_? You thought I was some kind of _sure thing_ or something..."

She looked at him, pretending to be unimpressed and he smiled at her a bit ruefully.

"_Hell_ no... I didn't think you were _ever_ going to realize how crazy you were about me. But a guy can hope, can't he?"

They both dissolved in laughter.

"Well, I guess I better grab my laundry from your room..." She frowned and he looked at her expectantly.

"Problems?"

She looked at him seriously. "Well, I'm not sure how I'm going to get in there..."

He looked at her in confusion. "Huh? What do you mean? Why can't you get into my room?"

"I don't think I've _walked_ in there on my own since you gave me the tour. I'm not sure I can do it all by myself..." He laughed and moved towards her.

"Oh, _I'll _take you back in there alright..."

He came at her with his hands out, eyeing her lasciviously and she squealed and tried to run. He quickly caught her and threw her easily over his shoulder. He gave her behind a swat for good measure and she cried out, laughing.

"Hey!"

"Alright. _Let's do it_."

He stalked heavily towards his room and pushed the door open. She wasn't sure where this was heading, but she couldn't stop laughing. Then he lowered her carefully to the floor and kept his hands on her arms. He looked down into her face imploringly.

"_Please_... you better grab your clothes and get us outta here before I get the urge to make crazy amounts of love to you again."

She smiled widely. "Well, not like that would be a bad thing, but..." She shrugged and grabbed her stuff. "And _maybe_ we better get some more condoms first... just in case."

He laughed, nodding. "Oh, you aren't the only one who needs to do some shopping."

They walked back into the living room and she jammed the clothes into her bag. They walked out to the SUV and as she climbed in she realized how foolish she felt, getting a drive back to her townhome just around the corner.

"_Hmmm_. I better get you some gas money; we have a pretty long trip ahead of us."

He laughed and pulled out of his driveway. Moments later, he was pulling in behind Alex's car. As she jumped out of the vehicle, he retrieved her suitcase from the back and made his way up to front door.

_I hope the painting still isn't done_.

He smirked to himself as he hoped she'd spend the night at his place again.

He was happy to smell the overwhelming paint fumes assault his nose once again as they walked through the door. She looked unimpressed, and began opening windows. He grinned at her disappointment and she turned to see him looking pleased with himself.

"What are you up to _now_?"

He tried to look hurt at the accusation, but ended up chuckling.

"Nothing, I swear. I was just thinking... I guess you may need a place to stay again tonight?" His hopeful smile made her heart swell.

_God, how did I get this lucky_...

"Um, yeah, maybe... Is that OK?"

He couldn't believe she was so bashful at this point, after they'd been together for all of last night and most of this morning...

"Alex, are you _kidding_ me? I was actually kind of hoping you would."

She smiled shyly and he moved towards her, wrapping her in his arms and looking down at her upturned face.

"We can break in your bed another time."

"Nick!"

She gave him a small whack on the arm as she pulled away. He laughed and played innocent.

"What?"

She shook her head at him, laughing and headed through the living room towards the stairs.

"Just... sit down and don't cause any trouble, OK?"

He picked up the remote, grinning madly.

Everything had definitely been painted, but wasn't completely dried yet. Her watch said 2:17 pm. She figured with the windows opened, she could probably stay there tonight if she wanted; it would probably be fine. She felt herself smirk.

_Ah_, _I think I better stay at Nick's place_,_ just to be safe_...

He helped her bring her stuff in from the garage and she started putting things in their places. Fortunately there wasn't much to deal with. He took her bags of clothing up to her bedroom and frowned as he came back downstairs, seeing her face squinched up a bit as she massaged her shoulder. He moved towards her and put his hand out to help her. She sighed as he gently worked her shoulder muscles.

"_Mmmm_. Thanks..."

"Still a bit sore, huh?"

"Yeah. I need to find a physio here. I apparently need a couple more sessions."

"Well, you should have just let me do all the lifting."

"Ah, it's no big deal. It'll be fine later." She looked over at the phone.

_Hmm_,_ I wonder if I have any messages_?

She dialled her voicemail number and was informed that she did in fact have two messages.

The first one not surprisingly was from her mother and had come in probably sometime yesterday before she'd called her. The second was from yesterday as well. She felt a bit surprised and looked around for a pen and paper. Nick figured out what she was looking for and tracked them down for her.

He watched as she wrote down some numbers, a name and a title. He looked at her as she deleted the messages and hung up.

"The D.A. wants to talk to you?"

She nodded, deep in thought. "Yeah. He wants me to contact him Monday so we can arrange a time to meet."

She started to remember why she'd had to move in the first place.

_James Meadfield_.

"Do you think he's out of his coma?"

"Not necessarily. They're probably just preparing for the inevitable."

She nodded, deep in thought.

_Don't get cold feet now_, _Alex_. _You have to follow through with this no matter what_. _Especially for Lisa Albertson's sake_...

Nick tried to interrupt her thoughts, knowing all too well where they were heading.

"So, you ready to do some shopping?"

"Do you honestly want to come with me?"

She eyed him warily, not knowing many guys who actually enjoyed shopping.

"Don't worry; I'm not a _metrosexual_. I need to pick up some stuff anyway. And I feel like spending some time with you."

She laughed. "So, um, what was the last 24 hours about?"

"I meant _outside_ the bedroom. There's more to us than that, isn't there?"

He gave her a vaguely disappointed look and she felt thoroughly chastised. She moved towards him and took his hand.

"Yeah, there's _so_ much more. I don't know how I got so lucky."

He grinned. "Well, you were just in the right place at the right time, I guess..."

His face fell as he remembered how they'd met. "Oh, Alex, that didn't come out right..."

She laughed and squeezed his hand tighter.

"Don't worry about it. I've decided the whole thing was fate anyway. I could almost thank James Meadfield for bringing you into my life, believe it or not. _Almost_."

He gave her a half-grin. "I've actually thought the same thing a couple of times myself. As much as I _hate_ the bastard..." He pulled her in and kissed her lightly. "I got _you_."

She smiled coyly and put her hand to his cheek. "_Yeah_. Yeah you _did_."

She stepped back from him slowly. "Shopping?"

He smiled and they went back out to the Denali.

* * *

Later that night, Nick followed up with his promise to take Alex out to dinner, and she watched him across the table.

They were munching happily on their seafood and Nick looked up to catch her watching him. She looked down at her food quickly, but knew he was still watching her, enjoying the flush that crossed her cheeks. He reached across the table and grabbed her hand and she looked up, smiling shyly. His warm look almost melted her heart.

"It's not like I mind if you look at me, you know." He smiled a little wider and she looked away uncomfortably.

"I was just wondering if you were, um, enjoying your dinner."

"_Riiiight_. OK, then, _yes_. Yes I am... Very much. Food's excellent... and the company's even _better_."

She grinned at him self–effacingly but said nothing.

As they exited the restaurant and headed back to the SUV, he stopped and turned to her suddenly.

"I had a great time with you today, Alex. I hope we can spend more days like this together."

She reached up and kissed him lightly. "Yeah, me too. I never knew everyday stuff could be so much fun."

He looked down at her and took in her pale blue dress. The low neckline had been driving him crazy since she'd stepped out of her bedroom... He kissed her softly on her exposed shoulder and she shivered.

He smiled into her eyes and pulled her closer. "Cold?"

She smiled back. "Nope."

"Ready to go home?" He stroked her cheek.

"Yes." She loved how that sounded...

_Home_.

* * *

"So are you any good?"

"I'm _alright_..." Nick grinned at her modestly.

Alex knew from experience that when a guy said he was _alright_ at a sport, it usually meant he could seriously kick ass. She looked at him appraisingly.

_He can't possibly be in _that_ good a shape and not be a good athlete_.

"Are you sure it's OK for me to come along?"

"Why wouldn't it be?"

_Well, there's this whole 'messing around with a victim on a case' thing_, she thought to herself.

He knew what she was thinking.

"Don't worry about it Alex. It's just a Sunday afternoon baseball game. It's no big deal. And I would really like you to come."

He gave her a hopeful glance and her stomach went to mush.

"Yeah?" She smiled at him, happy as a clam.

He pulled her into his arms. "Yeah."

He kissed her deeply and she caressed the back of his neck. He pulled back a bit, still holding her.

"And Catherine might be there.She sometimes comes by with Lindsey, although I think Lindsey could be moving into the 'too cool to hang with mom' phase."

Alex nodded, understanding.

"Cool. I'd love to see her again."

As they made their way into the ballpark, Alex was happy to see Catherine talking to some of Nick's nightshift colleagues. She smiled when she saw Alex and headed in her direction.

"Hey there! Are you here to help me cheer on our guys?"

"You're not playing?"

Catherine snorted. "Uh, no. Not my thing. I prefer to watch men run around getting all hot and sweaty rather than get that way myself."

Alex raised an eyebrow and Catherine smiled.

"Let me _rephrase that_..."

The two women laughed and Alex looked over to where Nick was stretching out his arm. Catherine followed her gaze and smiled.

"So, how are _things_?"

Alex turned back to Catherine and she laughed at the insinuation behind the question.

"_Things_ are... _amazing_."

"So, I guess you're not too bummed that you couldn't get a ride home with me the other day?"

Alex laughed again. "Well, Catherine, I wouldn't say _that_. I would have loved to hang out with you."

Catherine raised her eyebrows in disbelief.

"Well, normally I'd agree with you, but something tells me you had a better time with Nick."

Alex flushed and looked down at her feet. "Well..."

"Hey, it's not like you have to argue on this one. It's a good thing." She looked over at Nick and smiled. "Nicky's a good guy and he deserves to be happy. I think you can do that for him, Alex."

She looked back at the younger woman and smiled warmly.

Alex smiled back at her. "I hope so. Because he makes _me_ really happy."

Catherine patted her knee. "That's all that matters."

She looked up as a young strawberry blonde girl approached them with a basket of french fries. "It's about time. I thought you got lost over there."

"There was line up, mom."

She smiled at Alex shyly and Catherine introduced them. Lindsey offered her some fries and she accepted. Catherine took one look at the pile of ketchup on them and passed.

They looked up as the teams got ready to start the game. Alex smiled as she noticed Mark Barnes playing first base.

_I hope his knee holds up_... _If they win_, _I'm sure it will be fine_, _but if they lose_...

She shook her head in amusement.

Catherine shouted at the young man at bat. "C'mon Bobby! Let's get on base!"

Alex was enjoying herself and she and Lindsey munched happily on the french fries. As the game went on, Alex got them all drinks to contribute and as she sat back down, Nick trotted out to short stop. He hadn't been up to bat yet, but she watched him clutch his glove in anticipation out on the field, and looked forward to seeing him in action.

She wasn't disappointed.

He was fast, agile and graceful all at the same time. No ball that went anywhere near him slipped past. He looked so... _athletic_. She felt a small surge of pride, followed quickly by a slight tingling feeling...

They managed to keep the day shift team down to no runs and ran back in for their chance at bat. As the day shift ran out onto the field, she noticed Jim Shelley heading out to right field and she smiled.

_I didn't notice him before_.

She looked around hoping to catch a glimpse of his wife, but had no idea who it could be.

As the game came to a close, Alex, Catherine and Lindsey cheered. In addition to a few hits by other guys on the team, Nick and a handsome Asian looking man named Archie had managed to bat in quite a few runs and they soundly beat the dayshift team.

Alex laughed to herself as she watched Barnes limp off the field, favouring one knee. Catherine saw her smile and made her own interpretation. She looked to see where her daughter was playing behind the stands and grinned at Alex.

"Nothing like watching a guy do a hot job on the baseball field to get you in the mood, huh?"

Alex almost snorted her drink out her nose, then laughed and nodded.

"Yeah, it's not so bad actually."

They stood up and made their way over to where the men were gathering up their equipment. Alex couldn't see Nick, but Jim Shelley was standing behind his team. She made her way over in his direction, smiling. He was bent over, putting some gear into his bag.

Just before she got to him, however, Mark Barnes stepped in front of her. As if on cue, she felt nauseated all of a sudden.

"Hey there. _Alex Winters_... Didn't expect to see you here. Come to watch me in action? It's too bad my knee was acting up..."

She groaned inwardly, not wanting to get on this subject again.

"Um, no. Sorry; I was actually here to watch the night shift team..." She looked past him to where Nick was changing out of his baseball cleats.

Following her gaze, Barnes frowned. Shelley looked up then and seeing Alex, he waved and started towards them. Barnes spoke again and she turned back to him.

"You're here with _Nick Stokes_? That's_ interesting_."

She raised her eyebrows at his tone, but said nothing. Her stomach was beginning to churn uncomfortably and she felt a little woozey. Shelley finally reached them just as Barnes continued.

"It's just that you're not really his type, so I'm a bit surprised...His tastes normally run to the more... exotic. And the more _expensive_."

Having only caught the tail end of the conversation, Shelley looked confused.

"What the hell are you talking about, Barnes?"

"You haven't been around long enough to know the story, Shelley. A couple years back, Stokes got in shit for screwing around with a prostitute... and she ended up _dead_. He was even a suspect briefly but it ended up being her pimp in the end."

Alex looked more than a little surprised at the information, and a little green in the face on top of that. Shelley eyed the other man warningly.

"_Barnes_..."

"What? It's not like I'm making it up."

Alex was feeling sicker by the moment and decided it probably had been the french fries. She turned a pale face away from Barnes and Shelley eyed her with concern. He placed a hand on her shoulder just as Catherine and Lindsey walked up. Catherine noticed her green pallor immediately.

"Alex? Are you OK? You don't look so hot..."

The group of people around her was actually making her feel worse, actually. Years of drinking too much in university had made Alex aware of one of her more obscure characteristics: When she was sick, she wanted the whole world to go away so she could suffer alone in quiet. She looked at Catherine through ill eyes.

"I think I need to get home. _Quick_."

Barnes stood smirking in the background and Shelley felt the urge to wipe the smile off his smug face. He wanted to ask Catherine about what Barnes had said, but knew now was definitely not the time.

Just then, Nick made his way towards them, calling out.

"Hey guys, I'm desperate for a beer and the boys are heading out to celebrate..." He stopped as he saw Alex's unhealthy appearance. "Alex? Are you OK?" He moved towards her and put a hand on her arm.

Barnes took this moment to slink off. Shelley watched his back in disgust.

_Coward_.

"I think she's going to be sick... Listen Nick, why don't you go have a beer and I'll take her home." Catherine suggested.

"No, I can take her. Just let me..."

"Nick... I'll go with Catherine."

She was worried he'd want to stay with her once she got home and she really didn't think that'd be a good idea. She needed to spend some quiet time alone in the bathroom... Plus, she didn't want to spoil the rest of his afternoon, especially since he had to work that evening.

"Go have a good time with the guys. It's OK."

"But-"

"_Really_. I just want to go home and sleep this off. I'll be fine."

"OK... But I'll check in on you before I head to work tonight, alright?" He didn't look happy about the whole thing.

She nodded.

"Can you just call me? If I get sick, I'll probably need some sleep badly."

Again, she knew the patterns. Sure, this nausea wasn't from drinking, but the results were the same. She was pretty certain that there was some serious vomiting in her near future. She looked at Catherine.

"Can we go, Cath? I feel like _shit_..."

She cringed guiltily as she noticed Lindsey still standing there and apologized for her language, but Catherine just laughed.

"Yeah, let's go."

"Ok, well... see you later."

He leaned in and kissed her lightly on the cheek. He pushed her hair back.

"Feel better, OK?" He looked at her grimly.

She tried to smile at him but couldn't quite pull it off. "Thanks. See you."

Catherine grabbed her arm and headed towards her Denali, Lindsey close behind. Alex climbed in the back, rolled down the windows and laid across the seats. Catherine frowned back at her.

"Let me know if you need to stop on the way."

Alex grunted out an _OK_ and covered her eyes with her hands, trying to focus all of her energy on not throwing up.

Nick watched the SUV pull out of the parking lot and felt a little helpless. He tried to chalk her distant attitude up to the fact that she was feeling sick, but something about the whole scene left him feeling uncomfortable.

* * *

Alex made it home without incident, but she threw up every ten minutes for about two hours after that. As she passed out exhausted, she sighed.

_This wasn't how I'd planned to spend my first night in my new bed_.

She awoke some time later in the dark to the sound of the phone ringing, but she couldn't find the energy to get up and answer it. She drifted back to sleep.

* * *

The next morning she woke up dehydrated. Drinking glass after glass of water, she thanked God that she felt better than she had yesterday. She checked her messages: One from Catherine and one from Nick.

_Poor guy_.

He'd sounded a bit anxious to hear from her and had asked her to call him during the night on his cell phone if she woke up. She probably hadn't been at her best when she'd blown him off in favour of a ride with Catherine... She felt a moment of regret as she thought about it.

_God, I'm unpleasant when I'm sick_...

She looked at the time and realized he was probably off work now. She tried his work cell phone and got the unavailable message, so she tried his house. No answer. She thought about leaving a message, but decided she'd rather hear his voice. Just then the phone rang and she smiled.

_Nick_?

She answered, but was disappointed to find the District Attorney's assistant on the phone, asking her if she could make it in this morning. She agreed to meet just after 11am and hung up.

Before she jumped in the shower, she called Catherine to thank her for the drive home yesterday. Catherine informed her that Lindsey had gotten ill later that evening and Alex sighed.

"It _was_ food poisoning then."

"Yep. I'm just about to call that canteen and give them a piece of my mind, lemme tell ya."

Alex snorted. "Give 'em hell for me too, will you? I won't have time to call; I'm heading to the D.A.'s office after a quick shower..."

"The D.A.'s office? That's interesting. Well, anyway. Good luck. Hopefully I'll see you soon."

Alex hung up and wondered what was so interesting about her seeing the D.A... But then she realized that nothing seemed to be normal with her whole case and decided to let it go.

She jumped in the shower, and as she started to shampoo her hair, she suddenly remembered what Barnes had been saying yesterday... She'd been a bit spaced out at that point, trying to fight off the waves of nausea, but she recalled him mentioning Nick being with a prostitute who ended up dead...

_Nick and a_ _prostitute_?

She frowned as she started to rinse out the shampoo, feeling quite unsettled by the idea.

* * *

Nick walked up to Alex's front door and knocked. No answer. He knocked again, harder. Still no answer.

He frowned. Her car was still in the driveway... He'd already tried to call her, but he'd only gotten her voicemail.

He sighed and walked back to his SUV.

* * *

Alex wrapped a towel around her wet hair as she stepped out of the shower. She pursed her lips in thought.

_Well, I'd pretty much question just about anything that comes out of Barnes' mouth anyway, so I'm sure he's not telling me the whole story_. _I can't imagine Nick with a_...

She smirked into the mirror.

_Besides_,_ I trust Nick_. _I'm sure he'll tell me what really happened when he's ready_.

She quickly dried her hair and headed downtown to the D.A.'s office.

* * *

She'd been expecting some uncomfortable questions, but she'd assumed they'd only be about what had gone down in her apartment with James Meadfield. She felt her heart sink as the man asked her about her relationship with Nick and she admitted that they'd been seeing each other since she'd returned last week. The man sighed and rubbed at his temples.

"What you need to understand here Miss Winters is that the Meadfield's have hired top guns for defence attorneys. _Top_ top guns."

"So what does that mean exactly? How much more evidence could you possibly need to put this guy away? I mean, _Jesus_..."

"Yes, we have more than enough evidence to put this man away. That's not the problem. The problem will be for _how long_. If there is even an inkling of unprofessional actions coming from the LVPD, it might put a shadow of question in the minds of the jury, and trust me; these attorneys will take full advantage of everything they can and they'll twist it all out of proportion. Anything to save their very rich and very well-known client from excess prison time."

"But how can me dating Nick after the fact have anything to do with this. I just don't understand."

"Again, it ties into the character of the whole LVPD..."

"But we started dating after the whole thing happened."

"But it won't _look_ that way. It's my understanding that Mr. Stokes was far more heavily involved in this investigation than the usual Crime Scene Analyst would be. And in particular, he spent a lot of time with you."

Alex frowned and let out a sigh. Her heart was feeling heavier with every moment. She knew where he was going with this...

"But we've already been dating... Does it even make a difference now?"

"I'm under the impression that nobody from the defence knows yet... Especially since I personally wasn't aware of it and I've had people all over this since I first heard the name _Meadfield_ connected to it. The PD kept it under wraps nicely, thanks to Sheriff Atwater, I'm sure. I think we've gotten a lucky break here and the Meadfield defence is unaware of the fact."

Alex frowned and stared back at the D.A. He continued, putting the nail in the coffin.

"And the department won't want to look like fools, Miss Winters. You're not helping this man's career any by staying together right now either. That's another thing you might want to think about."

Alex withered before him and he knew he'd gotten through to her.

She sat up suddenly. "But if Meadfield's in a coma... Can he even be _tried _right now?"

She looked so hopeful; he felt a twinge of guilt as he replied.

"That won't be an issue. He came out of the coma this morning."

Alex looked at him, stunned. She felt her whole world crumbling again and it took everything she had in her not to cry.

She nodded in a subdued manner and he knew he had her. He felt a bit bad again as he watched the emotions playing across her face but it _had_ to be this way.

She swallowed visibly and then she nodded to him, her eyes troubled as she spoke.

"OK..." She blew out a breath. "I understand."

"Miss Winters, we're going to put him away _for life_. I _promise_ you that."

He smiled slightly at her and she nodded numbly. He walked her to the door and she left without saying another word.

As she headed outside, she stopped as she saw two people walking towards her up the stairs. She took a deep breath as they got closer and stopped in front of her.

She spoke first.

"Mrs. Albertson... I'm... I'm so sorry for what happened to your daughter, Lisa. I'm going to do everything I can to make sure James Meadfield spends the rest of his life behind bars."

The older woman smiled at her sadly. "Thank you... thank you so much. After what I said to you.... I'm _so sorry_."

Alex stopped her, seeing the tears forming in her eyes.

"No, it's OK. Please, don't even think about it... I understand completely."

Mrs. Albertson grabbed Alex's hand and squeezed it, and Alex felt the tears fighting behind her own eyes. She looked at Lisa's brother and he too smiled sadly.

"Thank you... and we're happy you're OK. We read about what happened..." He looked at her with concern.

Alex nodded and tried to smile encouragingly.

"I'm fine. And I meant what I said. I... I know it won't bring her back but... I'll do anything to make sure he never sees the outside of prison ever again."

He nodded at her again. "Thank you."

He looked down at his mother and she released Alex's hand. "We better get going. We have a meeting inside." Alex nodded and watched them walk into the building.

She walked down to her car and sat behind the steering wheel, tears streaming down her face.

_How am I going to_...? _God, Nick_... _I just want to _be_ with you_...

She wanted to scream in frustration.

_This is so fucking unfair_!

She looked down at the keys in her hand and sniffled.

_I can't go home right now_...

She started up the car, pulled out onto the road and headed for the city limits.

She just wanted to drive until all of this started to make some sense...

* * *

As the sun was setting, Alex made her way back down the street towards her townhouse. Her eyes felt raw and she didn't think she had any tears left inside her to cry anymore. She'd driven for hours and hours along the highway, arguing with herself the entire way.

At first she'd thought she could just tell Nick they needed to cool it for a while until this all settled down... Then she'd reminded herself that he'd _already_ gone against the department already by dating her. He'd acted as if there were no consequences to worry about. If she told him her worries about them being together, she knew he'd try and get around it somehow, saying it was no big deal again...

Then she thought maybe she should just go back to Vancouver until she was actually needed in court, thereby removing all temptation. But then she'd given herself a mental shake.

_You're 30 years old_, _Alex_. _It's time to stop running away from your responsibilities and be an adult for a change_.

She pulled into her driveway, looking longingly down the street in the direction of Nick's house as she walked to the front door.

She finally went inside, but didn't turn on any lights. She didn't think she could handle it right now. As she walked over to her phone, she went through her final decision in her mind once more and felt her heart slowly dying inside her.

She picked up the phone and dialled up her voicemail. Three messages. She hit _Delete All_ without bothering to listen to them and dropped the phone back on its cradle. She walked slowly upstairs and threw herself on her bed, facedown.

* * *

As Nick drove by Alex's house on the way to work, his heart sped up; her car was back in the driveway.

He pulled in behind the Toyota and tried to compose himself. There were no lights on inside, but he wanted to try anyway. He walked up to the door and knocked... once, twice, three times. No answer.

He waited a moment longer, staring up in the direction of her bedroom window and hoping...

He felt his shoulders sink and he went back to his Denali.

* * *

Alex heard the knocking and sat up.

_Nick_?

She felt her heartbeat speed up and then she slowly lowered herself back down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling in the dark. She _had_ to do this, but she knew she was too chicken to tell him in person, there was no doubt in her mind. She was going to call his home phone once she knew he was at work and leave a voicemail.

She waited until the knocking died out and she went through it all again in her mind, what she would say...

She noticed that she hadn't run out of tears after all, as she felt them streaming down her face again. She'd already accepted that, after Nick saw how willing she was to just throw away what they had so easily, he'd have no problems getting over her. He was too amazing to waste his time on someone who could be so stupid.

She sniffled as she realized he could probably have anyone he wanted anyway...

She knew she was destroying any chance she had for a future with him, even after this whole Meadfield thing was finally behind them. He'd never be able to trust her again.

* * *

As Nick's shift finished, he stood in front of his locker feeling tired and irritable. He'd hardly gotten any sleep yesterday as he'd tried to reach Alex, and then they'd had a long, uneventful shift which had left him with entirely too much time to think.

_Alex_, _what's going on_?

Catherine approached him from the side, noticing that his mood hadn't improved from earlier in their shift and she wondered if now was the best time to tell him what she'd just heard...

She decided he needed to know and took a deep breath. "Nick?"

He looked up at her in question. "Yeah?"

"You OK, hon?"

"Yeah. I'm just... tired."

"Hmmm. Well, listen... Maybe this is a bad time, but..." She eyed him warily and he looked at her curiously.

"What is it, Catherine?"

"I... I just heard something from one of the day shift cops that I think you should know..."

He watched her, waiting for her to continue and she sighed.

"Look, at the baseball game the other day... Well... _Somebody_ told Alex about you and Kristy Hopkins."

He looked stunned. "_What_?"

She questioned him gently. "Have you told her about that yet?"

He blew out a long breath and spoke in a small voice.

"No...I... I was going to tell her, but we only _just_..." He looked distracted and then hurt. "So, she wasn't really sick was she? She just wanted to get away from _me_...?"

"No... No Nick, she _really_ was sick. _That _I can guarantee. She and Lindsey both got a case of food poisoning from some french fries at the ballpark. She was definitely sick, trust me."

He still looked confused, and then suddenly he became incensed. His voice was menacingly low.

"Who told her, Catherine?"

"He didn't say who it was, but I'm betting..."

"_Who_ didn't say? Who told you this?"

"Jim Shelley. He wouldn't say who it was but..."

"_Barnes_. Fucking Barnes."

Nick slammed his locker in anger just as Sara entered the room. Both she and Catherine flinched, but she decided to stay out of it for now. Nick was furious.

"I'm going to kill that son of a..."

"Nick, come on. The guy's an asshole but what's done is _done_. The person you need to talk to here is Alex. I know she'll understand. She cares about you way too much not to, and you didn't really do anything that terrible... If you just talk to her, I'm sure she'd..."

"I_ would_ talk to her, Catherine if I could fucking get a _hold_ of her! I haven't heard from her since the game."

His voice was a little shakey and Catherinehad a sinking feeling in her stomach.

"Oh... I... But I talked to her Monday morning, before she went to see the D.A."

This didn't appear to make Nick feel any better. She stared at him in confusion and he suddenly turned and walked out of the room. Sara looked at her.

"What was that all about?"

Catherine sighed, shaking her head.

"I wish I knew."

* * *

Nick drove back to Alex's place and leapt out of the Denali, hurrying to the door. He stopped himself just short of pounding both his fists on the door. Lowering his head for a second, he tried to calm himself down.

He knocked several times, but when there was no answer he called through the door.

"_Alex_, are you in there?"

No answer.

"I'm just worried because I haven't heard from you in a few days..."

No sounds, nothing from inside. But he knew she was in there... He looked down at the ground, feeling utterly powerless. He walked back to his SUV and drove himself home dejectedly.

As he entered his house he picked up his phone and checked for messages. His heart sped up as he heard Alex's voice on the first message.

"Nick, it's Alex... Uh, I'm sorry I haven't called... I was pretty sick and then I had to see the D.A.... And then you were working too... Um, _anyway_..."

He heard her take a big breath before she continued and he began to worry.

"I, uh... I don't know how to say this... I... I think maybe things have been going a little too fast with... with us, and I was thinking maybe we should slow it down... _Uh_..."

She paused again and he felt his stomach churning.

"I... I've come to realize that a lot has happened to me lately and I... I haven't taken the time to try and sort it all out and..."

He listened as she sobbed a bit and he felt his own eyes glassing over.

"I'm sorry, Nick... I just think I need some space right now... to get myself together. I'm so sorry... Maybe later we can... _Oh God_,_ I don't know_. _I'm sorry_."

And the message ended.

Nick stared at the phone in his hands and leaned back hard against the wall, unable to believe what he'd just heard. He played the message again, thinking he'd missed something.

After the third time, he slid slowly down the wall and leaned on his haunches, his face in his hands.

No, _Alex_. _No_...

* * *

_**A.N**_: And that's it! Oh, I'm _mean_, I know! Come back in about a month, I should have Part 2 started... ;)

And I know I was stretching it a bit with that whole _professionalism _bit, but I had to use an angle so...

I'm off on holidays now! Bye!


End file.
